A video shared on TikTok (@kennyrossellboxxx) has sparked numerous reactions after showing Plaza Vieja, in Havana, almost empty around nine in the evening.
In the clip, the author walks through the location while commenting in amazement on the scene. "Gentlemen, look at this, it's incredible, a place that right now, at another time, on a thirteenth waiting for fourteen of February, would be filled with people," he says at the beginning of the recording.
Then he adds: “Look at the time, it's around nine in the evening, and look at this empty street, there's no one out, it looks like a ghost town, it's truly unbelievable, look at this, you wouldn't believe it, not even a fly is moving.”
The images show the environment with very few people present and no visible movement in the square, a place that has traditionally been a meeting point for residents and visitors.
The video sparked dozens of comments from users who shared similar impressions or interpretations of the situation. "Because of the dictatorship," wrote one internet user. Another commented, "It's truly sad... Greetings from Holguin." It was also noted: "Cuba is in a deep coma. But there is time to revive it," "Speechless," and "I just returned recently and feel empty."
Some messages pointed to a climate of expectation: “People are hidden waiting for what’s coming” and “Soon.” Others reflected discouragement: “What sadness, but soon we will be happy.”
In recent days, various videos have circulated on social media showing streets with little traffic and few vehicles in Havana. One example was the case of the official journalist known as "El Necio," who claimed that in Cuba "people are not sad" while showcasing a nearly empty capital, according to a recent report on that video.
Similarly, another viral video showed the Malecón with barely any car traffic, a detail that many users linked to the fuel crisis, as described in the coverage about the Spanish tourist who shared images from a hotel by the sea.
Images released by the EFE agency also showed avenues with low nighttime activity and reduced lighting, amid limitations in transportation and fuel supply, as noted in a report on darkened streets and scarce traffic in the capital.
A similar testimony later circulated on Facebook, where another user drove through Monte Street at night from inside a car. The video shows almost deserted stretches, with few pedestrians and very few vehicles on the road. The images depict deteriorated facades, dimly lit portals, and piles of garbage at some corners, reinforcing the sense of neglect that several internet users have pointed out on social media while documenting the nightlife in that area of Havana.
The contrast between areas that used to be more crowded and scenes that are almost deserted has reignited the debate on digital platforms about daily life in the capital. While some users interpret these images as a direct reflection of the current economic situation, others believe they may stem from specific circumstances or be comparable to what is happening in certain areas of other cities.
The author of the video himself expresses his surprise at the date, noting that on previous occasions, a “thirteenth waiting for Valentine’s Day” would find the place “full of people.” However, this time, according to his account, the scene was different: “there is no one on the street” and “not even a fly is moving.”
The video continues to accumulate views and comments, in a context where an increasing number of citizens document and share images of their daily environment on social media.
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