María Victoria Gil: "My Brother Lacks the Nerve to Be a Spy"

Attorney and television host María Victoria Gil Fernández, sister of former Cuban Economy Minister Alejandro Gil Fernández, expressed skepticism about her brother's alleged involvement in espionage during an interview with CiberCuba. She argued that he lacks the necessary traits for such an accusation.

"I just don't see him having...the character for it," she told journalist Tania Costa. "Being a spy demands craftiness, and my brother is a genuinely noble person. I wouldn't know, but I just can't see him doing it. I have more of a spy's character than he does."

María Victoria clarified that she hasn't been able to contact her brother since his arrest, learning about his situation only through her niece. She recounted that Alejandro Gil has been imprisoned since March 7, 2024, in a "maximum security facility," following his removal from office on February 2 of the same year. "I assume he was at home until his arrest because I moved away and lost all contact with my family...maybe out of fear too, because, you know, people in Cuba live in fear," she mentioned.

Moreover, María Victoria expressed her decision not to return to Cuba after speaking out about her brother and the state of the island. "My son said, 'Mom, do you really think you can leave Cuba without facing trouble?' Cuba isn't a state of law," she shared.

When asked about a potential accomplice, she replied, "I have no idea."

She mentioned that her relationship with Alejandro had been distant in recent years, and the family has remained silent since his arrest.

Alejandro Gil Fernández, the former Cuban Minister of Economy and Planning, has been held in provisional detention since March 2024, accused of espionage and serious offenses such as embezzlement, bribery, tax evasion, money laundering, and forgery of public documents. The General Prosecutor's Office presented the case against Gil on October 31, 2025, to the People's Supreme Court, seeking a life sentence.

The legal proceedings have been shrouded in secrecy, prompting statements from his immediate family. His daughter, Laura María Gil González, has repeatedly demanded transparency and a public trial, insisting her father "will not admit to any crime unless it is properly proven," as she declared. She has also condemned personal attacks and upheld the presumption of innocence.

María Victoria has voiced concerns about her brother's physical and mental decline, noting that he "has lost 50 pounds" and "all his hair within a year." According to her, the family is only allowed to visit him "every 15 days for 15 minutes."

In a separate interview with our team, María Victoria confirmed that her bank accounts in Spain were scrutinized for money laundering, though the inquiry concluded without issues.

Previously, María Victoria claimed her brother was accountable for the country's economic failure but cautioned that "his collaborators should not be his executioners," referring to the impending closed-door trial.

This high-profile case has stirred public interest amid the official #CeroImpunidad campaign by the Communist Party, which advocates zero tolerance for corruption while public dissatisfaction over Cuba's economic and social crisis mounts.