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Cuban independent journalist José Luis Tan Estrada issued a harsh critique of Laura María Gil González, daughter of former Cuban Minister of Economy Alejandro Gil, after the young woman called for transparency and a public trial for her father, who is accused of espionage, embezzlement, bribery, money laundering, and other crimes.
Although Tan Estrada acknowledges that defending her father is Laura's legitimate right, he does not hide his rejection of the tone or content of her statement, which he considers disconnected from the historical suffering of the Cuban people.
"I cannot feel empathy for Alejandro Gil's daughter, let alone for him. It’s understandable that she defends her father. It’s her right. However, in her statements, she does not point out the true culprits, who go beyond her father: the system to which he belonged," the journalist wrote at the beginning of a post on Facebook.
The communicator recalled that the former Minister of Economy was not a victim of the system, but one of its most committed executors, who for years imposed impoverishing policies while holding a position of power and privilege
“Alejandro Gil was a key player in the machinery that implemented economic measures that impoverished millions, while he and other high-ranking officials enjoyed privileges and perks,” he pointed out.
"It was part of a model that punished dissent, manipulated information, and silenced those who dared to question the established order," he added.
For this reason, Tan Estrada believes that Laura Gil's appeal to the principles of transparency and due process is not only insufficient but also morally inconsistent.
"Today, his daughter appeals to the understanding of the same people her father helped to oppress. She speaks of transparency, due process, and respect, but in her statement... there is not a single word of empathy for the Cubans who have been condemned, defamed, or disappeared for demanding exactly the same thing," he asserted.
The journalist claims that in the statement from the daughter of the former minister, there is no self-criticism, no awareness of the privilege experienced, nor a genuine distancing from the system that benefited her.
"Only the surprise of someone who experiences the arbitrariness of a device they once defended for the first time," he notes.
"He did not think of that town he now visits, when he enjoyed all the privileges that came from his father's power, while the majority survived amid scarcity and hunger," he added.
Tan Estrada's critique expands into a more general observation about the sectors close to power that now face the repression of a regime they previously supported
"Those who remained silent when power was attacking others now demand the freedom and transparency they previously denied."
And it concludes with a reflection that summarizes its position: "Perhaps now they understand—from their own experience—what it means to live under a regime that does not respect even its most loyal servants."
Parallel reactions and the background of the Alejandro Gil case
Laura María Gil's statements regarding the case did not go unnoticed.
His complaint -issued through three posts on social media- demanded a trial “behind closed doors”, invoked constitutional articles regarding freedom of expression, and requested clarity on the countries and events involved in the accusation against his father.
One of the first to react was the Cuban actor and playwright Yunior García Aguilera, who interpreted the message as a "desperate and brave" gesture, although articulated in a coded language typical of those living under authoritarian regimes.
In a stance very different from that put forth by journalist José Luis Tan Estrda, Yunior García analyzed Laura María Gil's speech as an example of what is called "the language of feigned obedience"; a form of expression that, while not directly confronting power, subtly conveys a message of dissent aimed at the people.
A stage filled with tensions
The case of Alejandro Gil erupts at a time of heightened political sensitivity.
The authorities accuse him of multiple economic crimes and, as his own sister, María Victoria Gil, previously indicated, there is even a prospect of a life imprisonment request from the prosecution.
María Victoria Gil was also firm: "If he has betrayed his principles, he deserves the full weight of the law."
Meanwhile, on social media affiliated with the Communist Party, the hashtag #CeroImpunidad has been promoted, distancing itself from any hint of leniency towards disgraced former officials.
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