AP Havana

A Cuban minister who sparked criticism after saying there are no beggars in Cuba, only people disguised as such, resigned on Tuesday. Cuba’s Presidency said in a post on X Minister of Labour and Social Security Marta Elena Feito Cabrera “acknowledged her errors and submitted her resignation”.

Feito made the comments on Monday before deputies in a National Assembly committee. The comments went viral, prompting calls for Feito’s impeachment and a wave of criticism in a country experiencing a tough economic situation in recent years. 

Even Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel was critical. Without mentioning her by name, but referring to the meeting at the National Assembly committee where Feito participated, Díaz-Canel said on his X account: “The lack of sensitivity in addressing vulnerability is highly questionable. The revolution cannot leave anyone behind; that is our motto, our militant responsibility.”

The economic crisis in Cuba has increased social vulnerability and led to unusual scenes for the island, such as people — especially the elderly — begging or scavenging through garbage, or some cleaning windshields at corners. “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,” Feito said before the National Assembly committee. “In Cuba there are no beggars.”

She added people cleaning windshields use the money to “drink alcohol”. Feito lashed out against those who search through the garbage dumps, saying they are recovering materials “to resell and not pay tax”.