HAVANA (Reuters) - Cuban president Miguel Díaz-Canel sacked economy minister Alejandro Gil on Friday, state media reported, as controversy continued to grow over the delay of recently announced measures to hike the price of fuel and transportation fares in the communist-run country. The Council of State, under Diaz-Canel`s direction, has appointed Central Bank president Joaquín Alonso, 60, to replace Gil. The upheaval comes just two days after the government put off an unpopular five-fold hike in gasoline prices planned for Feb. 1, saying a cyberattack from outside Cuba had thwarted implementation. Former economy minister Gil had advocated for the unpopular plan to raise prices for many government subsidized services, and has long been criticized for his management of the country`s near-bankrupt economy. Gil's planned price hikes, initially announced in December and early January, rocked Cuba, where residents have long depended on a vast program of state subsidized food, fuel and medicine.

---

Persons: Miguel Díaz, Canel, Alejandro Gil, Diaz, Joaquín Alonso, Gil, Elba Rosa Perez, Eduardo Martinez, Alberto Lopez, Manuel Santiago Sobrino, Nelson Acosta, Dave Sherwood, Kirsten Donovan Organizations: of State, Central Bank, Technology, Food Industry Ministry Locations: HAVANA, Cuban, Cuba, Santa Clara