The train traveling from Havana to Guantánamo was forced to make an emergency stop this week in the Aguilera neighborhood of Las Tunas city. An enormous pile of trash had spilled over onto the tracks, obstructing the train's path.
This incident was captured and shared on Facebook by Jose Luis Alarcon, a local artist and content creator from Las Tunas. With a mix of irony and seriousness, he highlighted the severity of the problem.
According to Alarcon, the train engineer spotted what initially seemed like a distant Caribbean mountain range, which upon closer inspection turned out to be a mishmash of plastic bags, organic waste, and a couple of ownerless sacks.
To avoid a derailment, the engineer engaged the emergency brakes.
“The screeching of the rails jolted half the passengers from their seats and drew the residents of Aguilera onto their porches,” recounted the content creator.
Photos from the scene show the DF70-2 locomotive 52557 halted next to a stretch of track littered with garbage, cardboard, and debris, surrounded by passengers and locals. Several travelers stepped down with makeshift shovels to clear the waste and free the tracks, allowing the train to continue its journey.
One passenger, quoted by Alarcon, attempted to find humor in the situation: “Look on the bright side, at least there’s a breeze here, and we’re not stuck in the sun in the middle of nowhere.”
Chronic Waste Crisis in Las Tunas
This is not an isolated incident but a reflection of an ongoing garbage crisis plaguing Las Tunas.
Earlier this year, local state media acknowledged “hundreds of micro-landfills” scattered throughout the city, with trash piling up near schools, clinics, and homes.
The root causes are systemic: the province requires 657 garbage collectors but only has 229 in operation, with just over sixty working in the provincial capital. Additionally, a severe fuel shortage for collection vehicles hit its peak in February 2026.
The impact of garbage on the railway infrastructure was evident long before this episode. In August 2025, the Railway Construction Company warned about the uncontrolled dumping of waste on Cuban tracks, reducing the lifespan of essential components and necessitating emergency cleanups that disrupt service.
In April 2026, debris blocked more than half of a railway crossing in Bayamo, on the line to Havana, posing significant risks to human safety, according to authorities.
Ongoing Rail Challenges
The Havana-Guantánamo train has faced numerous challenges over time. In June 2026, the Santiago-Havana train derailed near Omaja in Las Tunas with around 900 passengers aboard, though fortunately, no injuries were reported.
“Will Aguilera become an official stop on the route? That depends on the next trash collection cycle,” Alarcon quipped in closing his post, encapsulating the authorities’ neglect of a problem that affects not only the quality of life in Las Tunas but also the safety of rail transport.
Key Issues Affecting Cuba's Railways
Why did the Havana-Guantánamo train stop in Las Tunas?
The train had to make an emergency stop because a large pile of trash had blocked the tracks, making it unsafe for the train to continue.
What are the main causes of the waste crisis in Las Tunas?
The crisis stems from a lack of sufficient garbage collectors, with only a fraction of the needed personnel and vehicles active, compounded by a severe fuel shortage.
How is the garbage issue affecting railway infrastructure in Cuba?
The accumulation of garbage on tracks reduces the lifespan of railway components and necessitates frequent emergency cleanups, disrupting train services.