
Cuban minister under pressure for saying country has no beggars
"We have seen people who appear to be beggars, but when you look at their hands, when you look at the clothes those people wear, they are disguised as beggars ... In Cuba, there are no beggars,' Labor and Social Security Minister Marta Elena Feito said on Monday, while testifying before a commission of parliament.
'They have found an easy way of life, to make money and not to work as is appropriate,' she said in a statement broadcast live on state television.
Her words struck a nerve in Cuba, where years of crisis marked by runaway inflation and scarcity of basic goods have left large swaths of the population living day-to-day and a small, but increasing number of visibly impoverished people on the street,
'These people, who we sometimes describe as homeless or linked to begging, are actually concrete expressions of the social inequalities and the accumulated problems we face,' Diaz-Canel told the same commission on Tuesday.
'I do not share some of the criteria expressed in the commission on this issue,' he said.
Feito characterized people wiping windshields on street corners as possibly looking for money to get drunk, and those picking through garbage as unlicensed self-employed recyclers dodging taxes.
"The economic crisis has exacerbated social problems … the vulnerable are not our enemies,' Diaz-Canel said.
The minister was not seen during broadcasts of Tuesday's parliament session.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Reuters
2 hours ago
- Reuters
UN aid chief: some movement restrictions appear to have been eased in Gaza
UNITED NATIONS, July 27 (Reuters) - United Nations aid chief Tom Fletcher said on Sunday that some movement restrictions appeared to have been eased by Israel in Gaza on Sunday after Israel decided to 'support a one-week scale-up of aid.' Fletcher said in a statement that initial reports indicate that more than 100 truckloads of aid were collected from crossings to be transported into Gaza. 'This is progress, but vast amounts of aid are needed to stave off famine and a catastrophic health crisis,' he said.


Scottish Sun
3 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Fury as bankrupt Birmingham council offering asylum seekers huge discounts on swimming, golf, trampolining & Villa games
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) BANKRUPT Birmingham Council is offering small boat asylum seekers hefty discounts on leisure activities — including swimming, golf and trampolining. The Labour-run authority, which is locked in a bin strike now in its seventh month, is giving migrants up to 25 per cent off through its Passport To Leisure scheme. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 Small boat asylum seekers are being offered hefty discounts on leisure activities Credit: Getty 2 Money is lopped off tickets to watch shows, such as Disney musical Mary Poppins at the Birmingham Hippodrome Credit: supplied Migrants, many of whom have crossed the Channel by boat before claiming asylum on reaching the UK, can also get a fifth off on the use of council swimming pools. Martial arts classes are subsidised for migrants under the initiative, as are courses on trampolining, golf, gymnastics and football. The price of a trip to a council wellbeing centre for fitness, yoga, squash and badminton sessions is also cheaper. The council even offers £1 tickets to Aston Villa matches for migrant children, as long as they are accompanied by a full paying adult. In a further slap in the face for taxpayers, asylum seekers get ten per cent off at most council leisure sites, meaning cheaper trips to the theatre, museum and city's botanical gardens. Under the scheme, £3 is lopped off tickets to watch shows, such as Disney musical Mary Poppins at the Birmingham Hippodrome. The Passport To Leisure card is available to over-60s, full-time students, carers, disabled people and recipients of certain benefits. Birmingham — England's largest local authority district by population — already has a 'Be Active' scheme for asylum seekers which offers free swimming and gym sessions. The council is £3.9billion in debt and declared itself effectively bankrupt in September 2023 with the issue of a Section 114 notice, limiting it to essential spending only. It is also under fire over its handling of a bin strike which has seen mountains of rubbish pile up on the city's streets. Migrant hotel protesters take to the streets again as demonstrations spread across the country in weekend stand-off Unite union members are in a dispute over pay and proposed changes to some roles. Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said: 'This is a bankrupt Labour council, in the middle of a bin strike, racking up billions in debt, hiking council tax by 21 per cent, and their priority is trampolining perks for illegal immigrants. 'It is a slap in the face for hard-pressed taxpayers who are being forced to subsidise freebies for illegal immigrants who claim asylum having crossed the channel.'


Scottish Sun
3 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Police lock down Scots country park and beach ahead of Donald Trump's arrival
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) HOLIDAYMAKERS have been ordered to leave a country park boasting one of Scotland's best beaches as police prepared for Donald Trump's visit to his nearby golf course. Visitors were told to vacate the beauty spot as security is beefed up ahead of US president's trip to his neighbouring Menie Estate in Aberdeenshire tomorrow. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 4 President Trump will travel to his Menie Estate in Aberdeenshire after visiting his Turnberry golf course in Ayrshire Credit: REUTERS/Phil Noble 4 Visitors to the award-winning Balmedie beach in Aberdeenshire have been ordered out Credit: Iain Masterton/Alamy Live News 4 Holidaymakers were forced to go to make way for a massive security operation Credit: Iain Masterton/Alamy Live News 4 Police are patrolling the beach with borders the US president's Menie Estate Credit: Iain Masterton/Alamy Live News Officers locked down Balmedie Country Park and its coastal stretch — which has won 20 awards for the quality of its sand and water. Locals have vowed to protest after the Scottish Government announced a tournament held at his Trump International resort is being given £180,000 of taxpayers' cash. An onlooker said: 'Police were shutting off the beach and the park. 'It's one of the country's best and we're in the middle of the school holidays. 'Trump doesn't own it so it feels ridiculous that people who live here are being told to leave. "Loads of people were told to go. 'Is it any wonder most people around here hate him so much?' Balmedie Country Park has miles of sandy beaches and dunes and is popular all year with tourists and locals. Only a flimsy waist-high wooden fence separates it from the US president's 1,400 acres of land. Police had warned roads and the park would be shut in advance while a massive security operation gets underway ahead of Mr Trump's arrival. British Army soldiers, snipers, US Secret Service agents and cops were spotted in huge numbers over the weekend as he visited his Turnberry golf course in Ayrshire with similar scenes expected. US and EU agree landmark trade deal after months of talks, Donald Trump says The Republican chief will open a new 18-hole course there named after his late Scottish mum Mary Anne MacLeod, who was born on the Isle of Lewis. Neighbours have vowed to protest the plans and the announcement that public cash will be handed over for the Nexo Championship being held at the resort next month. Activist Alena Ivanova, organiser of Stop Trump Scotland, says the demo will be a "festival of resistance". She added: 'This message is to Donald Trump but also our elected leaders preparing to meet him — there is no place for Trumpism in Scotland. 'In the vicinity of the golf course people will be making noise and using creative props to bring the message as close to home as possible that Donald Trump is not welcome here.' Assistant Chief Constable Alan Waddell said: 'A policing plan is in place to maintain public safety, balance rights to peaceful protest and minimise disruption. 'We are working with transport planning partners, including local authorities, on temporary road closures. 'We understand a visit of this scale and the significant policing operation required can cause some disruption, and we are thankful to communities for their patience and understanding.' We told how a protester was arrested and given a recorded police warning on Friday for "abusive behaviour and refusing to stop" at Prestwick Airport in Ayrshire where the American leader's Air Force One jet landed. Trump today met with European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen at his nearby Turnberry golf course where they they agreed fresh trade terms. He set US tariffs on goods at 15 percent and announcedthe EU will spend nearly £500billion in American investments and buy more than £100bn in energy and purchase military equipment. Mr Trump called it a "good deal for everybody" while Ms von der Leyen called it "huge" and revealed there had been "tough negotiations". He will also meet with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and First Minister John Swinney before the end of his five-day trip.