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The daughter of Alejandro Gil Fernández, former Minister of Economy and Planning, who was charged this Friday by the Prosecutor's Office of Cuba, publicly stated that her father "remains firm in his defense and will not acknowledge, under any circumstances, any crime he is accused of" unless these are "properly verified."
In her message, shared on social media, Laura María Gil González called for maximum transparency regarding the process, defended the right to freedom of expression and the protection of honor citing articles 54 and 48 of the Constitution, and requested that citizens be allowed to know, without opacity, the elements supporting the accusations.
The young woman claims that she had not spoken out before “out of her family's commitment” to the country's image and to avoid “popular discontent or an international conflict,” but now insists that the official information has left “loose details” that fuel speculation.
In their opinion, if the core of the case is the alleged espionage, the public has the right to know what was done, for which countries, since when, through which communication channels, what was received in return, where the alleged meetings took place, under whose orders, what information was disclosed, what measures might have been proposed “at the behest of another State,” what evidence exists, and, if necessary, even what the accused's “alias” might be.
"Regarding the issue of espionage, I appreciate that you mentioned it, as it has been the cornerstone of this investigation. However, I believe the public would greatly appreciate a more detailed report, explaining finer points," he claimed.
In this context, it demands a public trial, with live broadcasting on national television and Cubavisión Internacional, and access for both official and non-official media, as well as foreign networks.
He assures that this demand is not only his, but also his father's "from the first day," and expresses confidence that "the Cuban people will be part of the trial" and that his defense argument will be "correctly communicated."
Gil's daughter emphasizes that her publication does not incite violence, does not reveal state secrets, nor belittle the institutions —Ministry of the Interior, Comptroller's Office, Prosecutor's Office, Presidency— involved in the process, and warns that any retaliation against her or her loved ones would be “completely illegal” and a violation of her constitutional rights.
He also reiterates his call for the governments that are supposedly involved in the investigated conduct to make an official statement, as he says this is a "very serious" accusation that goes beyond internal politics and could become an international case.
The message concludes with a reiteration that its goal is for transparency to be taken “to its fullest expression”, both out of respect for the people and for the right of the family and Gil himself to defend their honor and their account of the events.
The Gil corruption scandal
The Attorney General's Office of the Republic announced this Friday that it has initiated public criminal action against Alejandro Miguel Gil Fernández—who served as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Planning—and other defendants, following the conclusion of the criminal investigation conducted by the Ministry of the Interior authorities.
The actions against the former Deputy Prime Minister and former Minister of Economy and Planning were presented to the appropriate court, and imprisonment sanctions were requested "in accordance with the committed acts."
The Public Prosecutor's Office specified that the request for criminal liability encompasses a wide range of offenses: espionage, acts detrimental to economic activity or contracting, embezzlement, bribery, forgery of public documents, tax evasion, influence peddling, money laundering, violation of classified document protection regulations, and theft and damage of documents or other items in official custody.
The brief official communication did not provide further details about the progress of the case in court beyond the submission of the proceedings and the request for prison sentences for all the defendants.
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