Cuban Minister Resigns After Controversial Comments on Poverty

Marta Elena Feitó-Cabrera's resignation underscores the disconnection between government officials and the hardships faced by Cubans amidst escalating food shortages and economic turmoil.

Cuba's Labour and Social Security Minister, Marta Elena Feitó-Cabrera, has resigned from her position after a controversial statement made during a parliamentary session denied the existence of beggars on the island. Her assertion that those rummaging through trash were merely seeking “easy money” ignited swift criticism from both the Cuban populace and the diaspora.

In her remarks, delivered earlier this week during a session of the National Assembly, Feitó-Cabrera stated, “There are no beggars in Cuba,” attributing the actions of individuals scavenging through bins to what she termed as "illegality" in the recycling services rather than genuine poverty. This misjudgment quickly became a flashpoint, with many Cubans feeling her comments portrayed the government as out of touch with the realities on the ground.

Following the uproar, Cuban president Miguel Díaz-Canel addressed the National Assembly and subtly criticized the minister without naming her, emphasizing that government officials must remain grounded and attentive to the struggles of the citizens. The public’s response ranged from outrage to disappointment, with a group of activists penning a letter that condemned Feitó-Cabrera's remarks as an insult to the Cuban people.

While the Cuban government does not release official statistics on begging, the visible increase in poverty levels and food scarcity amidst the ongoing economic crisis has engendered a growing sense of urgency among citizens. In the wake of the resignation, the Cuban Communist Party and the government officially accepted her departure, marking another chapter in a period of political sensitivity surrounding issues of poverty and public welfare in Cuba.