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Since early hours this Monday, residents of Ateneo Street, in Santiago de Cuba, gathered to scrape and dig at the perimeter wall of an old house, driven by rumors that the wall —made of river sand— might contain tiny particles of gold.
The incident was documented by independent journalist Yosmany Mayeta Labrada with photos from the scene.
The images show people crouched next to the deteriorated wall, some wearing motorcycle helmets, while a group gathers on the sidewalk. As of the time of the report, there was no official confirmation of the presence of gold in the wall on Ateneo Street.
"What began as a simple rumor has turned into a complete phenomenon on Ateneo Street in Santiago de Cuba," noted the journalist.
The spontaneous search for precious minerals is not a new phenomenon on the island. In 2023, 60 Cubans were arrested for illegal gold extraction in Ciego de Ávila, in one of the most high-profile operations in recent years.
The economic situation in Santiago de Cuba is particularly critical. The province has recently faced a drought that affects half a million people, in addition to the damage caused by hurricanes, which worsens the living conditions of its residents.
Nationally, the situation is not any more promising. 80% of Cubans believe that the current crisis is worse than the Special Period, which partially explains the desperation that drives neighbors to seek fortune even within the walls of their own neighborhood.
Cuban authorities have tightened their stance in recent months against illegal mining. In September 2025, authorities thwarted an illicit gold extraction in Holguín, a province that has historically concentrated a significant portion of clandestine mining activity in eastern Cuba.
Analysts and specialized media warn that the gold rush in eastern Cuba combines dreams of wealth with real risks of repression, in a cycle that repeats itself each time the economic crisis deepens and rumors about deposits circulate among the population.
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