The recent statements by the Cuban Minister of Labor and Social Security, Marta Elena Feitó Cabrera, have sparked an unprecedented wave of indignation both within and outside of Cuba.
During a parliamentary session prior to the Fifth Ordinary Session of the Tenth Legislature, the official denied the existence of homeless individuals on the island, claiming that those who sleep in doorways, rummage through trash, or beg for money are, in fact, people "disguised as beggars."
“When you look at their hands, when you look at their clothing, they are disguised. There are no beggars in Cuba. They have found an easy way to make money and avoid working,” stated the minister, in a tone that many deemed insensitive, arrogant, and disconnected from the reality that thousands of Cubans face.
The reaction on social media was immediate. Intellectuals, artists, academics, journalists, activists, and everyday citizens have responded emphatically, deeming the minister's words as an unforgivable insult to the most vulnerable people in the country.
The journalist Boris Luis Cabrera harshly criticized the recent statements made by the minister. In a text filled with outrage, Cabrera denounced that such words criminalize poverty and reveal a dangerous disconnect from the country's reality. He called for inclusive policies instead of stigmatization and reminded that poverty in Cuba is not a choice but the result of a deep economic crisis. “Miseries cannot be solved with harsh words; they require justice,” he declared, demanding that leaders act with empathy and responsibility in a nation where “the majority of us are in a vulnerable situation.”
The official journalist José Miguel Solís harshly criticized the official arguments attempting to link street poverty with criminal or marginal behaviors. In a direct critique, he called for serious and methodologically rigorous studies to understand the phenomenon of the homeless in Cuba, and raised key questions: Have their causes been investigated? Are their stories known? Has the real influence of factors like drug addiction or social exclusion been measured? Solís warned that judgments without scientific basis are irresponsible, and appealed for the use of sociological tools and trained professionals to address the problem from knowledge, not from prejudice.
The journalist and photographer Rubén Padrón Garriga labeled these statements as classist and disconnected from the Cuban reality, reminding that making a living by cleaning windshields under the sun for a few pesos is not an easy option, but rather a reflection of the country's structural poverty. He pointed out the hypocrisy of those who, from public positions and state cars, stigmatize poverty while enjoying privileges. He also denounced that in Parliament, no deputy confronted these ideas, and compared that discourse to far-right stances that blame the poor for their situation. For Padrón, the true distortion is not giving alms, but governing with disdain and denial of real poverty. He concluded by labeling the minister as "fascist" for her dehumanizing and exclusionary perspective.
The filmmaker Ian Padrón reacted strongly to the statements made by Minister Marta Elena Feitó, labeling them as a clear example of "contempt, alienation, and elitism" on the part of the Cuban power. According to Padrón, the true disguised individuals are not the beggars mentioned by the minister, but the government officials themselves who pretend to represent the people while defending the indefensible. His message directly addresses the divide between the ruling class and the reality experienced by the majority of Cubans.
The former member of the officialist band Buena Fé, Ernesto Cisneros Cino, lamented that the official prefers to build "walls of privilege" instead of real public policies: “What an ingenious narrative to hide decades of mistakes and failures!”, he ironized.
From her account, journalist and professor at the University of Havana Ana Teresa Badía issued a warning: “When a public servant speaks detached from the context, they should review their mission and their essence”.
The actor Luis Alberto García Novoa, referring to the tacit complicity of the rest of the parliament, wrote: "Not a single deputy challenged the minister. We're in a very bad situation, Camilo."
Social media has also become populated with stark images and personal stories that reveal a different Cuba, one that resists being erased from the official narrative. The musician Dagoberto Pedraja shared a series of photographs depicting people living among trash, accompanied by the phrase: “The beggars have soul and heart... and they did not exist in my country”.
The comedian Ulises Toirac was blunt: “It's legally challengeable to talk like that about those they call vulnerable... these are just pretend.”, referring to the government.
The actor Lieter Ledesma raised a collective cry: “Cuba: the country where we all beg”. According to his analysis, the phenomenon goes far beyond the homeless; it involves an entire population that survives by “asking for help” from anyone who can offer it, even at the cost of their dignity.
The communicator Zuzanne Felipe deemed it unacceptable for the State to deny a reality that impacts thousands of families daily. “People sleeping in doorways, rummaging for scraps to feed themselves, seeking help with their gaze. Are they also going to call that ‘an easy way of life’?”, she asked with indignation.
From her personal experience, the activist Yuliet Teresa recounted her encounter with a woman suffering from mental disorders on the streets of Havana, and reflected: “One does not sleep in doorways masquerading as a beggar, but with a shattered soul due to poverty”.
The "president" responds... partially
In response to the outburst of reactions, the leader appointed by Raúl Castro, Miguel Díaz-Canel, spoke out on social media with a vague criticism: “The lack of sensitivity in addressing vulnerability is very questionable”. Although he did not directly mention the minister, many interpreted the message as an attempt to distance himself.
The official response was deemed ambiguous by several users. “Who does the president mean by ‘the lack of sensitivity’? He needs to be clearer and more decisive to guide the country,” Zuzanne Felipe wrote again.
Feitó's statements not only contrast with the visual and everyday evidence found across all provinces but also with official data and independent studies. The Cuban Observatory for Human Rights estimated that 89% of Cuban households live in extreme poverty, and the government itself acknowledged this year that more than 1,200 communities live in conditions of misery.
While the regime tries to impose a narrative of “disguised beggars,” Cubans walk through blackouts, shortages, inflation, and institutional neglect. As the scientist Amílcar Pérez Riverol wrote, “the only disguise here is the one they have put on that lady to make her pass for minister.”
The matancer journalist Yirmara Torres summarized it this way: “Are they ever going to apologize to the Cuban people? She said it all herself. That's how they see us from up high," she added.
On every corner of the island, there is a testimony that contradicts the minister's words. Each forgotten face, each body sleeping on the concrete, each child rummaging through a dumpster is a cry that disproves the propaganda.
And amidst the official discourse that criminalizes poverty, the citizenry responds with a clear message: dignity is not disguised. It is defended.
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