Recent news from Cuba: the Minister of Labor and Social Security, Marta Elena Feitó Cabrera, made a controversial statement in parliament claiming that “Cuba has no beggars” and accused people scavenging for garbage of pretending to be in need to “easily make money.” This sparked strong public backlash and escalated into a political storm, ultimately leading to her resignation.
Feitó, speaking at the National Assembly on Monday, stated that “there are no beggars in Cuba, only some people pretending to beg to make easy money.” She even accused those who search for food in the trash of engaging in “illegitimate recycling services.”
This statement quickly caused a stir on social media and among the Cuban diaspora, with netizens sharing images of homeless individuals and scenes of scavenging, criticizing the government for being out of touch with reality. Cuban economist Pedro Monreal sarcastically responded on the social platform X, saying, “If those people are pretending to be beggars, then it’s also possible that someone is pretending to be a minister.”
According to BBC reports, over a hundred Cuban intellectuals, journalists, and activists joined forces to release an open letter condemning Feitó’s remarks as “insulting to the Cuban people” and demanding her immediate removal from office.
Although not directly naming Feitó, President Miguel Díaz-Canel publicly stated in parliament that the leadership “cannot act from above, nor detach themselves from the realities of the people.” Less than 48 hours later, Feitó resigned, with approval from the Communist Party of Cuba and the State Council.
Cuba is currently facing one of its most severe economic crises in decades. Reports from Reuters and the Associated Press highlight prolonged shortages of food and medicine, unstable fuel supply, and frequent power outages, leading to extreme hardship where more and more people are resorting to scavenging for a living and sleeping on the streets.
The government has consistently promoted the socialist narrative of “jobs, healthcare, and education for all” under its system. However, the harsh reality of poverty has long exposed the flaws in this narrative. As a one-party communist state, Cuba, like China and North Korea, implements strict control over public opinion and society, including prohibiting anti-government protests and restricting press freedom. Nevertheless, Feitó’s misstep ignited rare public pressure, leading to her removal, underscoring that a regime’s indifference to the people’s hardships under high-pressure rule will eventually undermine its very foundations.