Marta Elena Feitó Cabrera, Cuba’s Minister of Labour and Social Security, resigned on Tuesday, July 15, 2025, following intense backlash over remarks made during a parliamentary session on Monday.
Feitó’s statements, which denied the existence of beggars in Cuba and dismissed visible signs of poverty, were widely criticized as insensitive and out of touch with the nation’s ongoing economic crisis.
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During a National Assembly committee meeting, Feitó claimed, “In Cuba, there are no beggars. There are people pretending to be beggars to make easy money.”
She further accused individuals rummaging through rubbish of being “illegal participants in the recycling service” and suggested that those cleaning windshields were using the money to “drink alcohol.”
The comments, made in a session meant to address policies for protecting vulnerable populations, sparked immediate outrage among Cubans both on the island and abroad.
The remarks went viral on social media, prompting a flood of criticism, memes, and calls for Feitó’s impeachment.
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Intellectuals, activists, and citizens condemned her statements as “an insult to the Cuban people,” highlighting the stark contrast between her claims and the reality of increasing poverty, food shortages, and homelessness.
Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel responded indirectly but pointedly during another parliamentary session, stating, “The lack of sensitivity in addressing vulnerability is highly questionable. The revolution cannot leave anyone behind; that is our motto, our militant responsibility.”
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Without naming Feitó, his remarks were widely interpreted as a rebuke of her comments. Prime Minister Manuel Marrero also emphasized the revolution’s commitment to supporting vulnerable communities, underscoring the government’s sensitivity to public discontent.
Cuba’s Presidency announced Feitó’s resignation via a post on X, stating that she had “acknowledged her errors and submitted her resignation” due to her “lack of objectivity and sensitivity.”