The Hermanos Saíz Association (AHS) awarded its most prestigious honor, the Master of Youth Award, to theologian and writer Frei Betto during a ceremony in Havana. This event brings to mind the numerous "controversial" statements the Brazilian intellectual has made about Cuba and its people.
This event is part of the celebrations for the 40th anniversary of the AHS, established on October 18, 1986. Frei Betto was the only foreign recipient among 17 honorees in 2026; the other 16 were notable figures in Cuban culture, including writer Marilyn Bobes, filmmaker José Ramón Artigas Vázquez, director Orlando Cruzata, writer Jorge Fornet, and actor Dagoberto Gaínza Pérez, according to Prensa Latina. The main anniversary event, with the presentation of the remaining awards, is set for this Saturday at the José Martí Memorial in the Plaza de la Revolución.
Award Justification and Controversial Advice
Yasel Toledo Garnache, president of the AHS, announced the award on social media and described the Dominican friar as "a dear friend of Cuba and a reference for the magnitude of his scholarly and intellectual works, ethics, defense of just causes, and profound humanism." The organization justified the recognition due to Betto's support of the Cuban revolutionary process and his defense of the island in international forums.
Yet, Frei Betto—the religious name of Carlos Alberto Libânio Christo—has a history of statements that have angered Cubans. In March 2022, during an appearance on Mesa Redonda, he suggested frying potato peels as a snack: "Potato peels, for instance, are excellent for nibbling with a drink. Fried, they are excellent."
During the same appearance, he proposed using melon rinds to make sweets, advised against discarding carrot tops because they "are highly nutritious," and suggested opening bakeries using cassava, sweet potato, or corn bread.
Previous Statements and Criticism
Months earlier, in December 2021, he published in the official newspaper Granma that in Cuba "there is no hunger," although Cubans "have a great appetite," blaming food issues on the population's "bad habits" and the U.S. embargo, rather than the regime's management. In that text, he remarked that "Cubans have dietary habits that can be perfectly changed, like the preference for wheat bread, an imported grain."
In June 2024, Betto returned to Mesa Redonda to urge Cubans to plant "even in the windows" of their homes and to mobilize the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution (CDR) to cultivate any available space, directly evoking practices from the Special Period.
And in February of this year, during a meeting at the CDR Museum in Havana, he urged Cubans to follow the example of Fidel Castro's resistance and labeled Donald Trump as "the great threat to the world."
Role as an Advisor and Public Perception
Frei Betto also serves as an advisor to the Cuban regime for the Food Sovereignty and Nutritional Education Program (SAN), approved in 2020, and regularly publishes in Granma. In 2019, he wrote in that newspaper that those who emigrate from Cuba are people "contaminated by capitalist consumerism propaganda" and that there has "never been a popular demonstration" against the government on the island.
The awarding of this honor starkly contrasts with the reality faced by millions of Cubans: prolonged blackouts, chronic food shortages, inadequate wages, and a massive exodus considered the largest in recent history. On social media, hundreds of users have questioned the disconnect between the Brazilian intellectual's rhetoric and the everyday experiences of the population.
His advice on potato peels is almost a caricatured symbol of this gap.
Understanding the Impact of Frei Betto's Statements on Cuban Society
What is the Master of Youth Award presented by the AHS?
The Master of Youth Award is the highest honor given by the Hermanos Saíz Association (AHS) to individuals who have made significant contributions to the arts and culture, particularly those who support and promote youth in these fields.
Why has Frei Betto's advice been controversial among Cubans?
Frei Betto's advice, such as frying potato peels as a snack, has been seen as out of touch with the severe food shortages and economic struggles faced by many Cubans, leading to criticism and resentment among the population.
How does Frei Betto's role as an advisor to the Cuban regime affect his public image?
Frei Betto's position as an advisor to the Cuban regime on food sovereignty and nutritional education, along with his outspoken support for the government, has led to a mixed public image. While some view him as a supportive ally, others see him as disconnected from the realities faced by ordinary Cubans.