Top Cuban Official Quits After Calling Beggars ‘Actors’ — Outrage Explodes Across the Island

Havana, Cuba — In a country already battered by an economic storm, the words of a government official became the spark that lit a firestorm of public anger. This week, Marta Elena Feitó Cabrera, Cuba’s Minister of Labor and Social Security, resigned after sparking nationwide outrage with her claim that the country had “no real beggars” — only “people disguised as beggars.”

The comment, made during a July 14 appearance before Cuba’s National Assembly, was intended to defend the state’s social welfare system. But instead, it touched a raw nerve — one exposed by years of hardship, falling pensions, food shortages, and a crumbling economy.

“There are no beggars in Cuba,” Feitó said. “What we’ve seen are people pretending to be poor. It’s often easier to live off handouts than to work.”

That one statement, delivered in a matter-of-fact tone on live state television, erased any doubt about how out of touch some officials have become in the eyes of the Cuban people.

The Reality on Cuba’s Streets

It didn’t take long for social media to react. Within hours, photos and videos flooded platforms like Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and WhatsApp — elderly men digging through trash cans, women sweeping streets for small change, disabled veterans begging near bus stops.

“Does this look like someone pretending?” read one caption, beneath a picture of an emaciated man washing windshields for coins near Havana’s Malecón.

Opposition voices, independent journalists, and even some state media figures called out the tone-deaf nature of the minister’s remarks.

“There is nothing theatrical about the pain of hunger,” said one popular Cuban podcaster. “Poverty is not a disguise. It is a wound.”

The Backlash: From Shame to Resignation

President Miguel Díaz-Canel issued a rare public rebuke of Feitó’s comments, calling her tone “highly questionable” and emphasizing that “every Cuban in need deserves dignity, not dismissal.” He reminded officials that the Revolution’s promise was to uplift the vulnerable — not to mock them.

The statement didn’t go unnoticed. Within 24 hours, Feitó offered her resignation, and it was accepted without delay. While no official replacement has been announced, her departure marks one of the few recent examples of a Cuban minister stepping down due to public and political pressure.

Activists celebrated the resignation as a small but meaningful victory.

“We’re tired of being told our suffering isn’t real,” said Daniela Pino, a Havana-based community organizer. “This isn’t about one woman’s words — it’s about decades of being ignored.”

The Harsh Economic Truths

Feitó’s remarks came at a time when Cuba’s economic situation is more fragile than it has been in decades. Key facts:

• Cuba’s GDP fell 1.1% in 2024, after years of steady contraction.

• The average monthly pension is just 2,000 pesos — less than $5 USD at unofficial exchange rates.

• Inflation continues to spike, making basic groceries out of reach for most retirees and low-income workers.

• Blackouts, food lines, and medicine shortages are now a daily part of life for millions.

Despite these realities, government officials have often painted a rosier picture of the country’s social safety net. Feitó’s comments weren’t just insensitive — they shattered a fragile trust, suggesting that even suffering itself was being denied.

A Symbolic Fall, and a Call for Change

The resignation of Feitó Cabrera may not instantly improve Cuba’s economy, but it could mark a shift in public accountability. For the first time in years, an official’s words had real consequences.

Many Cubans hope this moment becomes a turning point — not just for political rhetoric, but for real policy changes that address Cuba’s growing class of working poor and elderly citizens living in deep poverty.

“We don’t need speeches,” said a retired factory worker in Santiago. “We need food, power, medicine — and respect.”