Jeanette Sardiña recently took to Facebook to share a video revealing the dire state of a trash site near her building in Nuevo Vedado, Havana. The footage shows five garbage bins overflowing, surrounded by debris scattered across the ground.
"Folks, take a look at this. It's horrifying, simply horrifying, the trash heap next to my home. It's terrifying," Sardiña exclaims at the beginning of the video, as she surveys the area.
The Havana resident describes how the wind blows the litter to the rear of her building, forcing neighbors to clean up themselves due to the neglect of authorities.
She also criticizes the garbage trucks for damaging the sidewalks: "The trucks break all the corners when they collect the trash, this happens here in Vedado, they ruin the sidewalks."
The video concludes with a phrase capturing the frustration: "This is Cuba. The most beautiful part of the landscape is that flamboyant tree."
Comments on the post reflect widespread outrage among neighborhood residents.
Mónica García Menéndez warns, "The worst part isn't the sight, it's the stench and the swarm of flies. Every time it rains, the smell worsens."
Celia Mariana Artes Visuales, identifying as a local resident, reports, "They've even broken the sidewalks and turned them into black swamps of trash and water," labeling the situation as "criminal."
Madelin López raises concerns about the risk of leptospirosis: "If it weren't for the cats keeping the rats away, we'd all be dead from leptospirosis by now."
Beatriz Barreiro Paredes adds another health warning: "Now with the rain, decomposition happens faster... especially the organic waste... there will be consequences... epidemics."
Historical Context and Current Challenges
Nuevo Vedado is not an isolated or recent case. Back in February 2023, comedian Otto Ortiz documented a similar trash site in the area, commenting, "Nuevo Vedado doesn't fall behind when it comes to trash and filth."
By March 2026, the neighborhood had also witnessed pot-banging protests due to power outages and basic service crises.
The garbage collection crisis in Havana is a systemic issue. As of February 2026, only 44 out of the 106 garbage trucks in the capital were operational, while the city produces between 24,000 and 30,000 cubic meters of solid waste daily.
In December 2025, Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz himself acknowledged the government's failure to address the waste collection crisis in the capital.
With the advent of summer, heat and humidity accelerate the decomposition of organic waste, heightening the risk of diseases like dengue, leptospirosis, and hepatitis A.
Faced with the regime's inaction, some Havana residents have resorted to burning trash as a form of protest, while others, like those in Nuevo Vedado, organize community clean-ups without any institutional support.
Understanding the Waste Management Crisis in Havana
What prompted residents of Nuevo Vedado to speak out?
Residents of Nuevo Vedado raised their voices due to the unbearable conditions caused by overflowing trash bins and the subsequent health risks, coupled with the authorities' inaction.
How has the trash crisis in Havana been addressed by the government?
The government has largely failed to effectively manage the trash crisis, with officials acknowledging institutional shortcomings. Only a fraction of trash collection trucks are operational, leaving the city overwhelmed with waste.
What are the health risks associated with the current waste situation?
The current waste situation heightens the risk of diseases such as dengue, leptospirosis, and hepatitis A, especially as organic waste decomposes more rapidly in the summer heat.