A video shared on Facebook captures a troubling scene at Havana's José Martí International Airport's Terminal 3 during the night: at least five children, aged between nine and 11, persistently approach travelers for money as they exit the building. Surprisingly, no police officers or airport security staff intervene.
The person behind this revelation, known as Bautense Ferever, describes a situation far from mere requests for help: "These children are not simply asking for help; they demand money with an aggression that is not typical for their age. The alarming part is not just the constant harassment but the response to refusals—insults, offensive remarks, and a hostile attitude towards travelers who choose not to give in to their emotional extortion."
What concerns the whistleblower most is the apparent lack of authority in a sensitive area: "How can minors roam freely and operate with complete impunity around the exterior of an international airport?" he questions in his post, which has garnered over 240,000 views.
He directly addresses the airport administration, police authorities, and the Ministry of the Interior, concluding that "the events of that night at Terminal 3 of José Martí Airport highlight a complex issue that combines institutional loss of control with a significant social crisis."
Recurring Instances Highlight a Widespread Issue
This is not an isolated incident. In December 2024, a child selling candy in the same terminal was taken away by police while in tears. Earlier that year, four minors were seen begging alone on the highway leading into Havana through the Cotorro municipality, the oldest being around ten years old and a girl about seven.
The documented cases in 2026 have multiplied across the country. For example, a ten-year-old boy was found selling garlic and bread on the streets in September without having eaten that day; in July, an 11-year-old was collecting cans at dawn in Camagüey to support his family; by October, a 12-year-old girl was selling sweets after losing her home in a hurricane.
Government Acknowledgment and Legal Discrepancies
The Cuban Observatory of Conflicts recorded numerous reports of child labor and begging during 2025 alone, and the Cuban government itself admitted at the end of that year that nearly 200,000 children and teenagers were in vulnerable situations. A survey conducted in May 2026 found that 33.9% of households reported at least one member had gone to bed hungry in the previous 30 days.
The 2025 Law 178, known as the Code of Childhood, Adolescence, and Youth, explicitly bans using minors for begging, labeling it as child exploitation. Yet, the gap between the law and reality is stark: while police arrest child street vendors, groups of minors operate at night around an international airport without interference. In June 2026, the Communist Youth Union denied the existence of child labor in Cuba, openly contradicting independent media reports and monitoring organizations.
"Children of primary school age should be at home or in school, not wandering airports at night, exposed to marginalization, violence, and social decay," wrote Bautense Ferever, encapsulating the human dimension of a crisis that worsens as the island's economic collapse deepens.
Addressing the Child Begging Crisis in Cuba
What prompted the viral Facebook video from Havana's airport?
The video went viral after documenting children aggressively begging for money at the airport, highlighting a lack of authority and a deeper social crisis.
How has the Cuban government responded to child labor and begging?
Despite acknowledging the vulnerability of nearly 200,000 children, the government's actions remain inconsistent with on-ground realities, as evidenced by ongoing child begging and labor.
What legal measures exist to protect children in Cuba?
Law 178, known as the Code of Childhood, Adolescence, and Youth, prohibits the use of minors for begging, categorizing it as exploitation, yet enforcement remains weak.