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The Cuban Prime Minister, Manuel Marrero Cruz, called on the population of Havana to participate this weekend in a massive cleaning campaign, amid a context marked by the accumulation of solid waste, the deterioration of communal services, and growing health concerns in the capital.
“Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, the ministers in charge of each municipality with their teams and the support of the population” we are going to "continue fighting despite the difficulties," declared Marrero during a visit to the Marianao landfill.
According to the government, more than 450 teams are expected to be mobilized to support garbage collection, in an operation that will prioritize sanitation "from the center outwards" of the city.
The call comes amid a health crisis evident in numerous Havana municipalities, where mountains of garbage remain for days—even weeks—on street corners and main avenues.
Neighbors have reported the proliferation of improvised dumps, unpleasant odors, the presence of rodents and mosquitoes, as well as the risk of diseases associated with unsanitary conditions. The lack of fuel, the shortage of spare parts for collection trucks, and the deterioration of the vehicle fleet have been identified as among the causes of the service collapse.
Specialists have warned that the accumulation of waste, combined with high temperatures, creates favorable conditions for outbreaks of gastrointestinal diseases, dengue, and other infections.
The event was called as part of the activities for National Defense Day, with the participation of state agencies, local authorities, and mass organizations.
Marrero toured several municipalities in the capital to "check" on sanitation efforts and reiterated the call for unity in light of the situation. The government has emphasized that the solution lies in collective mobilization, while acknowledging the material limitations the country faces.
The collection of solid waste has become one of the most visible problems of the deterioration of public services in Cuba. The lack of resources, the energy crisis, and the decline in state revenues have directly impacted the operation of communal services.
Although the authorities speak of "progress" in sanitation efforts, the situation remains critical in several areas of Havana, where the accumulated waste has become part of the urban landscape.
The call for this weekend aims to alleviate immediate pressure, but the underlying challenge—modernizing and sustainably maintaining the waste collection system—remains unresolved amid the deep economic crisis facing the country.
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