Cuban Labor Minister Resigns Following Controversial Remarks on Beggars

Cuban officials have faced backlash as economic struggles lead to increasing poverty and food shortages on the island, exacerbated by the minister's insensitive remarks.

Cuba's Minister for Labour and Social Security, Marta Elena Feitó-Cabrera, has resigned after making a controversial statement during a parliamentary session in which she claimed there are no beggars in Cuba. Her assertion, made in response to discussions about people searching through rubbish for food, amounted to denial of the harsh realities many face on the Communist-run island. Instead, she suggested that individuals scavenging were merely "pretending to be beggars to make easy money."

Her comments, made earlier this week in the National Assembly, were sharply criticized both domestically and internationally. The backlash triggered a swift reaction from Cuba’s President Miguel Díaz-Canel who, in a parliamentary address, emphasized the need for leadership to remain grounded in the realities faced by ordinary Cubans, without explicitly naming Feitó-Cabrera.

Activists and intellectuals quickly mobilized, publishing an open letter demanding her removal, labeling her comments a profound insult to the Cuban populace. Critics highlighted her insensitivity as an emblem of a leadership that is increasingly out of touch with the severe economic difficulties impacting everyday life on the island.

Economist Pedro Monreal weighed in on the issue via social media, suggesting that Cuba had ministers who were more disconnected from reality than they ought to be. Following the rising tide of criticism, the Cuban Communist Party agreed to accept Feitó-Cabrera's resignation. While the government does not officially disclose statistics on the number of people begging, the visible increase in poverty and food shortages has been palpable for many Cubans, particularly in light of the continuing economic struggle the island faces.