The Cuban activist Yoel Parsons Bones publicly denounced the pollution caused by a nearby coffee roaster close to his home in Havana, claiming that the smoke directly impacts several buildings and poses a health risk to the residents.
The complaint was made through a video posted on social media, where a dense cloud of smoke can be seen spreading over homes in the area.
In the audiovisual material, the activist identifies the source of the pollution and highlights its proximity to the residential area: "this is the coffee roaster that is located right behind" and "I live one block away from the roaster; just imagine the buildings that are next to it."
The complainant insists on the extent of the smoke and how it seeps into the homes: “look at this smoke” and “see how it gets into the buildings, it goes right inside.”
It also warns about the possible health impact on residents: "look, that can kill any child who is sleeping, any people there."
At various points in the video, he questions the situation and the responsibility of the authorities: "Do you think this is fair?" and "This is what you do to us, you don't respect us, how long will this last?"
He even qualifies what is happening as a serious matter: "Tell me, is this not outright murder?"
In his written statement, Parsons Bones directly holds the authorities responsible for what he considers an ongoing situation. "Murderers, indifferent, are massacring my people in Cuba. You are responsible for all the ills of the Cuban people," he stated.
He also stated that he had submitted complaints without receiving any resolution: “Complaints have been directed through the appropriate channels to all the relevant institutions and nothing happens.”
The activist also reported alleged pressure from authorities following his criticisms: “A State Security officer came to warn me that if they capture my face at any protest, it could cost me my freedom and separation from my family.”
The post generated numerous reactions from other users, who expressed outrage and concern about the situation. Among the comments, some pointed out: "What a petty and abusive regime, man, they don't even care about the health of children, those scoundrels," while others proposed collective actions: "But everyone there needs to come together and stand in front of the door to protest."
There were also expressions of alarm regarding the pollution: "My God, sir, how horrifying!"
Some users claimed to have experienced similar situations or tried to report them without success: "It's normal, bro. Personally, I complained, wrote to millions of places, the head of the environmental agency came to my house, they were given two months to resolve it, I even had to sign a document, and you know the threats."
Other comments reflected the perception of the problem's scope: “I can imagine, man, I experienced it when I lived in Miquito; it reached that far.”
So far, there is no public information regarding concrete actions to mitigate the reported emissions or an official response to the case.
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