At a recent Communist Party Central Committee meeting, President Miguel Diaz-Canel sharply criticized his former Economy Minister, Alejandro Gil, sentenced to life imprisonment for espionage. He used Fidel Castro quotes to portray him as a traitor, sidestepping case details. This speech highlights the breakdown of their once-close relationship.
Miguel Diaz-Canel's address at the Communist Party Central Committee meeting focused on the judicial scandal involving Alejandro Gil, former Economy Minister and deputy prime minister, sentenced to life for espionage and 20 years for other crimes. Rather than providing explanations on facts, failed control mechanisms, or institutional lessons, the president delivered a speech filled with moralizing rhetoric.
Diaz-Canel invoked Fidel Castro quotes to depict Gil as an example of those who 'obstruct the path and delay progress' or 'sell out the nation that elevated them to the highest offices.' One key quote warns of human weaknesses that enemies exploit to recruit spies and traitors. Another stresses that the Revolution unmasks true patriots versus great traitors, those 'not even good enough to fertilize the land with their blood and lives.'
Their relationship was close: Diaz-Canel served as principal advisor on Gil's doctoral thesis and publicly praised him even after dismissal. Gil fronted the government's economic policy, receiving hugs and accolades from the president. Yet, Diaz-Canel testified as a prosecution witness in Gil's closed-door trial.
In the speech, the president labeled him selfish, ambitious, disloyal, traitorous, and cowardly, stating the Revolution has 'zero tolerance' for such behavior. No details emerged on discovering the alleged spy network, compromised structures, or political accountability for keeping him in office so long. This approach frames the case as a moral lesson, leaving transparency questions unanswered.
