Tree Left Over Graves for Over a Month in Holguín Cemetery: "If the Living Don't Care, Imagine the Dead"

In an unprecedented and outrageous situation, a fallen tree has been left lying across several graves for over a month in the cemetery of Felton, Holguín, without any intervention from local authorities to remove it. "This is the Felton cemetery, one of the few in Cuba that used to remain clean and organized, providing peace of mind for those who have loved ones resting there," begins a post by Patricia Santiesteban Tamayo in the Facebook group "Revolico Felton."

According to Santiesteban, the tree remains because there is no staff available to address the issue. She notes that after the cemetery's administration shifted from Communal Services to the Necrological Services company, maintenance has sharply declined. "No one works there anymore, except for Ñeco, a retired and ill man, who volunteers when called for a burial. He no longer has the strength for more," she remarked.

The community has attempted to find solutions on their own, yet the burden of institutional neglect falls heavily on them. "Anyone interested in keeping it clean must simply do it themselves, as no one else will. It reflects the state of everything we experience. Nothing works anymore," Santiesteban concludes.

One user commented on the post, expressing societal frustration: "If the living don't care, imagine the dead," highlighting the lack of competence among Cuban leaders in managing basic services. This situation is part of a broader pattern of neglect and disrespect toward cemeteries in Cuba, evidenced by numerous recent incidents.

In August, reports from Sancti Spíritus indicated thefts and desecrations at the municipal cemetery, where criminals removed human remains for unknown purposes, leaving families devastated. A month later, in September, the cemetery of Catalina de Lasa and Juan Pedro Baró in Havana also faced desecrations, sparking outrage as the graves of historical and cultural figures were violated.

By November, images from the iconic Colón Cemetery in Havana revealed a bleak scene: skeletal remains and destroyed niches amidst appalling neglect. Citizens denounced the lack of oversight and maintenance in one of the island's most renowned resting places. Most recently, in December, new cases of thefts and desecrations in various cemeteries highlighted the growing issues of insecurity and governmental indifference toward preserving these sacred sites.

In a nation where material shortages are evident, cemeteries serve as a stark reminder of a reality that affects not only the living but also the memory and respect for those who have passed.