What started as a commitment to the Revolution ended for María in misery and abandonment at 80 years old.
His story was documented by Food Monitor Program, an independent organization that monitors and reports on food (in)security in Cuba, and reflects the collapse of the social protection system that currently affects thousands of elderly people on the island.
Daughter of a sugar worker and a farmer, María was born in the central part of the country and received her education in a rural school before 1959.
At the age of 15, she climbed to the Sierra Maestra as a literacy teacher, confronting not only the harshness of the environment but also the machismo of a time that viewed her with suspicion for being alone, wearing pants, and being among men.
The Revolution promised that volunteer teachers could study the career of their choice, but it did not deliver on that promise, and so María ended up in education out of necessity, not vocation.
For more than three decades, she taught in primary, secondary, and vocational schools, until breast cancer forced her to retire at the end of the 1980s with a minimal pension of 130 Cuban pesos.
The Special Period hit her hard: her brother, an alcoholic and unemployed after the closure of the sugar mill where he worked, committed suicide with wood alcohol.
Maria, now ill, began to earn some money as a companion to a blind neighbor who had a license for street vending, selling sponges and costume jewelry near the Pando Ferrer ophthalmological hospital.
But the years, lack of income, and state indifference pushed her further down: she ended up searching for food and recyclable items in the trash cans of neighborhoods like El Vedado or Miramar.
She became a "buza," and over time, the smell, the stigma, and the overcrowding of the state shelter completely drove her out.
Today he drags an old sack through Havana, where he keeps what he finds among the garbage and the cardboard that serves as his bed.
This story, shared just days after former Minister of Labor and Social Security, Marta Elena Feitó, claimed on television that there are no beggars in Cuba, only "disguised" individuals who do not want to pay taxes, highlights a regime that has forgotten its people.
With a pension that barely reaches 1,528 CUP —and which, according to the Government, will soon rise to 3,000—, María cannot afford even the most basic food.
What she receives is not help, she says, but a right that has always been denied to her. She no longer hopes for miracles or change; all that is left for her is to endure, day after day, like so many others who have also lost everything.
The situation of the elderly in Cuba reflects a systemic crisis that goes far beyond isolated cases. An elderly woman in Cienfuegos, who survives by fishing and sleeping on a broken mattress by the sea, revealed that she cannot even buy bread with the pension she receives, forcing her to eat rice without salt and to rely on the charity of a neighbor.
From Santiago de Cuba, another grandmother denounced the blackouts, shortages, and state neglect that force her to collect firewood to cook, while her medications are scarce and her money is insufficient for rice, even after spending hours in line.
In his words, "not even when Batista did we suffer such hunger," making it clear the current deterioration of the social assistance system.
Abandonment does not distinguish professional paths. An octogenarian scientist who worked for decades in the development of Cuban technologies now sells coffee on the street to survive.
Despite having created products used in hospitals, he never received a decent pension.
Juan Bautista, retired teacher and composer is also part of this forgotten generation. After teaching Natural Sciences for 40 years and composing music for schools, he now spends his days rummaging through dumpsters, without family or state support.
Frequently asked questions about the situation of retirees in Cuba
Why do retirees in Cuba, like María, live in extreme poverty?
Retirees in Cuba are facing an extreme poverty situation due to insufficient pensions and the collapse of the social protection system. Despite having worked for decades, many receive minimal pensions that do not cover basic needs. Soaring inflation and the lack of essential services such as electricity and gas further exacerbate their situation, forcing them to seek sustenance on the streets or rely on the charity of neighbors.
How does the current economic crisis affect the elderly population in Cuba?
The economic crisis in Cuba has caused many elderly people to live in conditions of food insecurity and a lack of basic resources. The shortage of food and medicines, along with the collapse of public services, has left many seniors in situations of extreme vulnerability. With insufficient income and a state system that does not provide the necessary support, the elderly are forced to resort to extreme survival methods.
What role does the Cuban government play in the situation of retirees?
The Cuban government has failed to provide an effective safety net for retirees, leaving them in a state of neglect. Despite promises of social protection, the reality is that pensions are insufficient to cover basic needs. Official statements that downplay the issue do not hold up against the evidence of the collapse of the social security system and the lack of structural solutions to ensure a dignified life for the elderly.
How does the current situation in Cuba compare to the Special Period of the 1990s?
The current situation in Cuba is viewed by some observers as more severe than the Special Period of the 1990s. According to the independent monitoring group Food Monitor Program, the current crisis is more intense and profound due to the accumulated deterioration of living conditions, rampant inflation, and the lack of genuine reforms by the government. Food insecurity, the collapse of public services, and inflation have led to a more widespread decline in the basic living conditions on the island.
What alternatives do Cuban retirees have to survive in the absence of state support?
In the absence of state support, many retired Cubans turn to street vending, begging, or assistance from neighbors to survive. Some are forced to search for food or recyclable materials in the trash, while others try to work in whatever capacity they can, despite their advanced age and declining health. Dependence on charity and community solidarity has become a daily reality for many elderly people in Cuba.
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