María Victoria Gil Reveals Brother's Health Decline: "Lost 50 Pounds, He's Deteriorated"

María Victoria Gil Fernández, a lawyer and television host, has reported that her brother, former Minister of Economy Alejandro Gil Fernández, has "lost 50 pounds," "lost all his hair within a year," and is currently held in a "high-security prison."

In an interview with our newsroom, María Victoria Gil revealed that the family is allowed to visit him for only 15 minutes every fortnight, as informed by her niece.

She described him as "completely devastated" and "shocked" by the charges against him. The prosecution is demanding a life sentence for a series of alleged crimes, including espionage.

Despite living in Spain for a decade, María Victoria shared that her relationship with Alejandro was limited, and she was kept in the dark about his arrest until Cuban television announced the news. She disclosed that her niece informed her that Gil has been detained since March 7, 2024, a month following his removal from office, and family interactions have been both restricted and monitored. "I have felt sidelined... it has been total silence," she expressed.

María Victoria emphasized the severity of the espionage charge under Cuban law, noting it could lead to the maximum penalty, and pointed out that the prosecution is seeking life imprisonment. However, she expressed skepticism that her brother committed such a crime, describing him as a "very noble" person.

She insisted that the accusations should be publicly clarified and expressed concern for his safety in prison, beyond the court's decision. María Victoria recounted the initial timeline of the crisis, stating she learned of her brother's dismissal on February 2, 2024. By March, Cuban television reported that Gil had acknowledged "serious errors" in his duties and would be investigated by the MININT and the Prosecutor's Office.

She clarified that admitting "errors" does not equate to confessing to crimes, attributing part of the economic collapse to collective decisions and a "cadre policy" that, in her view, places unqualified individuals in key positions.

While she refuted the idea that Alejandro acted independently in sensitive matters, María Victoria was clear in holding him accountable for the economic deterioration affecting the population, asserting he should "pay for his mistakes" and any proven economic crimes.

Nonetheless, she argued against him being used as a "scapegoat" for a power structure that, she claimed, endorses and signs off on major decisions. She called for transparency and criticized the possibility of a closed-door trial, describing it as an effort to "expedite" the process and limit public scrutiny.

Regarding personal and family circumstances, she mentioned experiencing social rejection and losing contact with her niece for months in a climate of fear and uncertainty.

Despite their differences and her criticism of Alejandro's role in the crisis, she declared her support for his right to defend himself and reiterated her demand for the case to proceed with verifiable information, adherence to due process, and guarantees for his physical safety while imprisoned.

The former minister has been in provisional detention for over a year and a half, facing charges of espionage, embezzlement, bribery, tax evasion, money laundering, and forgery of public documents, among other offenses.

The prosecution submitted the case to the People's Supreme Court on October 31, and according to his sister, the trial is expected to take place before the year's end.