By Dave Sherwood

People walk on the street in downtown Havana, Cuba, November 21, 2023. REUTERS/Alexandre Meneghini/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights , opens new tab

HAVANA, Nov 10 (Reuters) – Cuba’s top court said on Monday former Economy Minister Alejandro Gil would go on trial for espionage and corruption on Tuesday, ratcheting up intrigue in one of the highest-profile corruption cases in the communist-run country in decades.

Citing Cuba’s constitution and penal code, the court said the trial would be held behind closed doors and that the public would not be allowed access, but said due process was guaranteed.

“For reasons of national security, only the parties and persons authorized by the court will attend the trial,” the court said in a brief statement.

Gil, once a close confidant of President Miguel Diaz-Canel, spearheaded a major monetary reform in Cuba in 2021 that is largely seen as having been disastrous for the already troubled economy.

Sacked by President Miguel Diaz-Canel in February 2024, Gil had not been seen or heard from until last month, prompting widespread curiosity about his whereabouts.

At the time of his removal from office, official statements said only that Gil, who had also served as deputy prime minister, had been accused of “grave errors.”

Cuba’s attorney general in late October issued a long list of charges against Gil and other unnamed defendants – ranging from espionage to embezzlement and bribery, noting they were the result of a nearly two-year investigation.

Cuba’s penal code punishes espionage with terms ranging from 10 years in prison to death.

Reuters was unable to contact Gil or his lawyer to seek comment.

The corruption case is the most sensational to rock Cuban society since 1989, when General Arnaldo Ochoa, a hero of Fidel Castro’s 1959 Revolution, was tried and executed by firing squad for drug smuggling.

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Dave Sherwood is the bureau chief in Havana for Reuters. He covers politics, economics, and the environment in communist-run Cuba, and often contributes to coverage elsewhere in the Caribbean. He was previously based in Santiago, Chile, covering mining, the salmon industry and general news across South America. He first reported for Reuters from New England and Atlantic Canada and has also worked extensively throughout Central America.

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