Public Outrage over Labor Minister's Remarks Ignoring Reality
President Diaz-Canel Criticizes "Insensitive Comments"
The Cuban Minister of Labor has sparked controversy by claiming that "there are no beggars" in the Caribbean island nation. As criticism mounted that the remark denies the harsh reality of Cuba's economic crisis, President Miguel Diaz-Canel stepped in to address the issue himself.
According to AFP on July 16 (local time), Marta Elena Feito, Cuba's Minister of Labor, stated during a parliamentary committee meeting the previous day that people rummaging through trash bins are "people disguised as beggars," insisting, "There are no beggars in Cuba." Minister Feito also said, "If you look at their hands and clothes, you can see they are disguised as beggars."
These remarks have provoked public outrage among Cuban citizens. On Cuban social networking services (SNS), photos of people picking food from trash bins have been posted one after another. This is interpreted as a protest against Minister Feito's denial of reality.
One netizen posted a photo he said he had taken himself in Cuba in 2016, showing an elderly person rummaging through a trash bin. Another user said, "The future of our grandparents is eating food from trash bins," adding, "That is Cuba."
Amid controversy over the Cuban Minister of Labor's statement that "there are no beggars," a netizen has released a photo taken in Cuba in 2016. Photo by X
Pedro Monreal, a Cuban economist, criticized on X (formerly Twitter), saying, "There are people in Cuba 'disguised as ministers.'"
On July 16, President Diaz-Canel strongly rebuked Minister Feito's remarks on X, calling them insensitive. He also warned in parliament, "None of us should act arrogantly or out of touch with reality." President Diaz-Canel added that the term "beggar" specifically highlights the social inequality and the problems Cuba is facing.
Currently, Cuba is suffering from shortages of food, medicine, and fuel, as well as frequent power outages, experiencing its worst economic crisis in 30 years. This situation appears to be the result of a combination of factors: U.S. sanctions, poor domestic economic management, and the collapse of the tourism industry due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Cuban government announced last year that, out of a population of 9.7 million, 189,000 households and 350,000 people are receiving social support as vulnerable groups.
AFP reported, "Over the past two years, the number of homeless people and beggars on the streets has increased significantly," and "Cuba's unofficial average monthly wage is less than $20 (about 27,700 won)."
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