A resident of Havana's Cerro district took to the streets to document the overwhelming accumulation of trash that has transformed the neighborhood into what he equates to the infamous Zapata Swamp. His video has garnered tens of thousands of views on Facebook.
"I was told El Cerro holds the key, but all I see is garbage," remarks Daudy Cuervo, the creator of the video, as his camera captures heaps of waste lining the streets.
The comments on the video echo the frustration of those living amidst this chaos daily. "This is our earthquake, but we have no rescuers, just groups of incompetents," wrote one viewer.
Another comment was more blunt: "The government is turning Cuba into a filthy swamp."
The outrage extends beyond metaphors. "They're destroying my country, and I don't know how much longer we can endure this nightmare of garbage, mosquitoes, power outages, and a lack of humanity and everything else," lamented another person in the comments section.
One user summed up the situation with three words: "Epidemic. Horror. Sadness."
The Hidden Crisis in El Cerro
El Cerro is grappling with layered crises. Just days ago, locals protested by blocking streets with buckets and pails, demanding electricity and water after enduring five days without power due to a broken transformer.
In April, a mother from the neighborhood reported a fly infestation at the corner of Zequeira and San Joaquín, where an impromptu dumping ground had formed; traps filled up in just an hour.
Back in March, desperate residents set fire to a garbage heap as a form of protest.
A City on the Brink
The breakdown in sanitation in El Cerro is symptomatic of a larger systemic crisis affecting the entire capital. Since February 2026, only 44 of Havana's 106 garbage trucks are operational due to diesel shortages and mechanical failures.
The city produces between 24,000 and 30,000 cubic meters of solid waste daily, yet up to 23,814 cubic meters remain uncollected each day. Although the capital needs 20,000 to 30,000 containers, only 10,000 are currently available.
In response to the collapse, the regime has resorted to using military recruits to collect garbage on Havana's streets, a scene captured on Thursday by activist Silverio Portal, who called it a manifestation of "67 years of socialist failure."
Public Health in Peril
Cuba ended 2025 with at least 81,909 cases of dengue and chikungunya and 65 officially reported deaths. The outbreak continued into 2026, with more than 2,800 cases across 134 municipalities.
The Deputy Minister of Public Health recently warned on state television that the nation could face a new epidemic, as all four dengue serotypes are circulating simultaneously.
President Miguel Díaz-Canel's government admitted in December that it is unable to clean the capital or adequately pay street sweepers.
Understanding the Waste Crisis in Havana
What is causing the waste crisis in El Cerro?
The waste crisis in El Cerro is primarily due to a lack of operational garbage trucks, diesel shortages, and inadequate infrastructure to manage the capital's large volume of waste.
How are residents responding to the garbage problem?
Residents have resorted to protests, such as blocking streets and setting fire to garbage piles, to demand basic services like electricity and water.
What measures is the government taking to address the issue?
The government has deployed military recruits to help collect garbage, but this has been criticized as a sign of systemic failure rather than a solution.