Context:

Marta Elena Feitó-Cabrera, the Cuban Minister for Labour and Social Security, resigned following her controversial remarks denying the presence of beggars in Cuba, which she made during a parliamentary session. Her assertion that people rummaging through trash did so by choice to earn 'easy money' sparked widespread criticism from Cubans and led to a backlash from President Miguel Díaz-Canel. The comments were perceived as a display of the government's disconnect from the harsh economic realities faced by citizens amid worsening poverty and food shortages. Cuban activists and intellectuals demanded her removal, interpreting her statements as an insult to the populace. The government's acceptance of her resignation highlights the growing discontent with the leadership's perceived indifference to the nation's economic struggles.

Dive Deeper:

• Marta Elena Feitó-Cabrera's claim that there are no beggars in Cuba and that those searching through rubbish do so by choice for 'easy money' was met with outrage from Cubans both domestically and internationally.

• The minister's comments were interpreted as an indication of the leadership's detachment from the economic hardships faced by ordinary Cubans, who are dealing with severe food shortages and poverty.

• President Miguel Díaz-Canel indirectly criticized Feitó-Cabrera's statements during the parliamentary session, emphasizing the need for the government to remain connected to the realities of its citizens.

• Following widespread criticism from Cuban activists and intellectuals, who viewed the remarks as an insult, Feitó-Cabrera resigned, and her departure was accepted by the Cuban Communist Party and the government.

• The controversy underscores the visible rise in begging and scavenging in Cuba, a consequence of the island's deepening economic crisis, despite the lack of official statistics on the issue.