Cuban minister resigns after claiming beggars are just pretending
Reports indicate that Marta Elena Feitó Cabrera, who served as Minister of Labour and Social Security, made the comments during a parliamentary appearance on Monday.
A Cuban minister was forced to resign on Tuesday after making remarks that downplayed rising poverty across the island, claiming there were no beggars in Cuba- only people pretending to be.
Reports indicate that Marta Elena Feitó Cabrera, who served as Minister of Labour and Social Security, made the comments during a parliamentary appearance on Monday.
More To Read
"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. In Cuba, there are no beggars," the minister said, according to AP News.
She further suggested that individuals who clean windscreens at junctions use the money "to drink alcohol," and criticised those who rummage through rubbish dumps, accusing them of collecting materials "to resell and avoid paying tax."
Feitó’s remarks quickly went viral, drawing widespread anger from Cubans who demanded her removal, given the country’s deepening economic crisis.
Cuba is currently grappling with severe economic hardship that has left many, particularly the elderly, struggling to get by. With monthly pensions averaging around 2,000 pesos- roughly $5 on the informal market- many retirees are unable to afford basic necessities, leaving them in a constant battle to survive.
On the same day the minister’s remarks were reported, Cuban authorities revealed that the country’s GDP had shrunk by 1.1 per cent in 2024, marking an overall decline of 11 per cent over the past five years.
Cuba’s President, Miguel Díaz-Canel, weighed in on the controversy following the public backlash. Although he did not mention the minister by name, he urged government leaders to show greater sensitivity towards citizens’ struggles.
"The lack of sensitivity in addressing vulnerability is highly questionable. The revolution cannot leave anyone behind; that is our motto, our militant responsibility," he said in a statement on X.
The presidency later confirmed that the minister had submitted her resignation after “acknowledging her errors”.
Other Topics To Read
Top Stories Today
