Laura María Gil, daughter of the former Cuban Minister of Economy Alejandro Gil Fernández, reacted this Monday to the official announcement of the trial against her father and described the accusations against him as “complete manipulation” in an audio message circulating on social media.
The People's Supreme Court informed earlier that the judicial process will begin this Tuesday, November 11, at 9:30 a.m., in the Crimes Against State Security Chamber, under strict confidentiality measures and behind closed doors. The Cuban Prosecutor's Office is seeking life imprisonment for the former official on charges of espionage, among other accusations.
In the broadcast audio, Laura María claims that her family learned about the trial date through her grandmother, following the announcement on state television, and states that they were completely unaware of the beginning of the process. “We had no idea, we didn’t know anything. We found out because my grandmother saw it on the one o'clock news,” she said.
The young woman also reported alleged irregularities in her communications. "My WhatsApp has been restricted since this morning; I have a poor connection and many messages I can't respond to. I don't know if it's a coincidence or if someone intervened in my account," she stated, alluding to possible censorship.
Despite the restrictions, Laura María assured that she will try to attend the trial alongside her brother, although she acknowledges that it will be a closed process to the public. "I will do my best to get in, even if it's just me. Nothing changes my mind about the fact that she is not a spy," she emphasized.
"Whatever they say, show whatever evidence they have, it doesn't interest me. I have been involved in this matter for two years, and I am completely sure that this is a total manipulation of everything," she stated firmly.
The daughter of the former minister concluded by stating that she will fight "as best as she can, within the circumstances that are allowed to her," and reiterated her belief that her father "is not a spy".
Request for a public trial
At the beginning of November, Laura María had publicly requested that the trial against her father be held “behind open doors” and be broadcast live on Cuban television, appealing to the rights of freedom of expression and transparency recognized by the Constitution.
In that message, posted on their social media, they demanded that the authorities provide the people with "complete information" regarding the accusations and defended the right of their family to speak out without retaliation.
The case of Alejandro Gil Fernández, who was dismissed in February 2024 and later subjected to a criminal investigation, has become one of the most sensitive cases within the recent Cuban political elite. The Prosecutor's Office charges him with crimes including espionage, embezzlement, bribery, tax evasion, money laundering, influence peddling, and forgery of public documents, among others.
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