Havana, Jul 16 (AP) A Cuban minister who sparked criticism after saying that there are no beggars in Cuba, only people disguised as such, resigned on Tuesday.
Cuba's Presidency said in a post on X that Minister of Labour and Social Security Marta Elena Feito Cabrera “acknowledged her errors and submitted her resignation”.
Feito made the comments on Monday before deputies in a National Assembly committee. The comments went viral, prompting calls for Feito's impeachment and a wave of criticism in a country experiencing a tough economic situation in recent years.
Even Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel was critical. Without mentioning her by name, but referring to the meeting at the National Assembly committee where Feito participated, Díaz-Canel said on his X account: “The lack of sensitivity in addressing vulnerability is highly questionable. The revolution cannot leave anyone behind; that is our motto, our militant responsibility.”
The economic crisis in Cuba has increased social vulnerability and led to unusual scenes for the island, such as people — especially the elderly — begging or scavenging through garbage, or some cleaning windshields at corners.
“We have seen people, apparently beggars, (but) when you look at their hands, look at the clothes these people are wearing, they are disguised as beggars, they are not beggars," Feito said before the National Assembly committee. "In Cuba there are no beggars.”
She added that people cleaning windshields use the money to “drink alcohol”.
Feito also lashed out against those who search through the garbage dumps, saying they are recovering materials “to resell and not pay tax”.
Until a few years ago, despite the poverty, there were no signs of begging or homelessness on the island thanks to benefits that have now been greatly reduced.
The pension of a retiree is about 2,000 Cuban pesos per month, roughly USD 5 on the informal market, and just under the cost of a carton of eggs. For those who don't receive remittances from family abroad, it means going hungry.
Self-employed Enrique Guillén believes the minister is wrong and that some people do not see the situation clearly, and hopes the government will take action.
“They are elderly people who count on a pension that does not exist. They cannot even buy a carton of eggs. It is the reality we are living in Cuba,” Guillén said.
On Monday, island authorities reported that Cuba's gross domestic product fell by 1.1 per cent in 2024, accumulating a decline of 11 per cent over the past five years. (AP) PY
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Cuban labour minister resigns after her suggestion beggars were pretending sparked backlash
PTI
Updated: July 16, 2025 08:51 IST
(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)
