While the authorities in Guantánamo boast about having collected thousands of cubic meters of debris after Hurricane Melissa, a monumental dump in front of the San Rafael cemetery resurfaces as a living testament to collective neglect, amidst a serious health crisis.
The landfill, which stretches "from corner to corner" in front of the cemetery, and literally buried the ampirol bed designated for the orderly collection of waste, was reported by the official newspaper Venceremos.
The most pathetic part of the situation is that they had recently cleaned the area at the cost of about 15 truck loads, which turned out to be a futile effort in the face of a lack of civic culture and the absence of an efficient government system for the daily collection of waste.
Giovanis Fernández, provincial director of Construction and Investments of the Municipal Services Company, promised that the city would be “completely clean” this weekend.
A statement that sounds more like a wish than concrete reality, as in the Sur-Isleta and Sur-Hospital neighborhoods there are still main arteries that remain uncleaned and 800 cubic meters of debris scattered in the middle of the industrial area, the media outlet noted.
The "crusade for cleanliness" involved 900 men, 50 dump trucks, seven loaders, three backhoes, and even five lifters from the Azcuba business group.
A deployment of resources that raises the question: how is it possible that with such machinery the city continues to struggle against the micro-dumps that spring up like mushrooms after the rain?
Blaming the people: the same old strategy
The official did not miss the opportunity to point his accusing finger at "unconscious individuals or neighbors" who continue to create waste points after the cleanup.
But conveniently forgot to mention that if there is no efficient garbage collection system, if the trucks do not pass regularly, if there are not enough containers, what is supposed to happen to people’s waste?
He also labeled those who question the recovery on social media as “critics unable to reflect.”
An easy disqualification that avoids the real debate: why can't a country that prides itself on being a powerhouse in health and organization keep a city clean after a hurricane?
The "provisional infrastructure" and other promises
The new strategy mentions "four loaders, seven trucks, four tractors" provided by various organizations as a temporary solution "while the recovery of community services is being consolidated."
In other words, more of the same: band-aids, improvisation, and the endless wait to "secure support from the country."
Meanwhile, the dump in front of the San Rafael cemetery in Guantánamo remains a monument to neglect that no one wants to see but everyone suffers from. A reminder that in Cuba, not even the dead can rest in peace when surrounded by so much filth and abandonment.
The question that nobody answers is simple: if they can't keep the city clean for even 15 days after a hurricane, what will happen when the "exceptional mobilization" is over and everything returns to "normal"?
The issue of the garbage dump in front of the Guantanamo cemetery is not new. In August, a resident of the eastern city showcased through their Facebook account the deplorable condition of the site, overflowing with waste.
The oldest cemetery in the eastern city is suffering from neglect, vandalism, and lack of maintenance, in addition to housing deteriorated mausoleums of heroes of the Liberation Army, without being declared a Local Monument or having any heritage routes.
In February 2025, the report regarding the conditions of the Guantánamo cemetery gained significance after a video was released showing open graves, uncontrolled weeds, and a strong foul odor.
In September 2023, an extensive report from Venceremos revealed that noxious gases were emanating from opened vaults in the San Rafael cemetery, affecting the daily lives of nearby residents, who reported a sustained unsanitary situation justified by an institutional order not to seal the niches until they reached full capacity with bodies.
A deep neglect is eroding the cemeteries in Cuba. The one in Camagüey is in a critical state of neglect and deterioration. Citizen complaints have exposed serious issues such as desecrations, thefts of marble and bronze, open vaults, and exposed human remains, highlighting an institutional collapse in the management of the cemetery.
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