After the pro-government journalist Yirmara Torres Hernández reported on social media the accumulation of garbage close to the Eliseo Noel Caamaño Provincial Pediatric Hospital in Matanzas, the authorities sent trucks to remove the waste. The reporter herself showcased the result in a follow-up video posted on Facebook, where she confirmed that the main dumps were cleared, although she warned that the underlying issue remains unresolved.
Days earlier, Torres had warned about the existence of a huge dump at the intersection of Santa Isabel and San Carlos, just a block away from the pediatric hospital. He also reported another waste hotspot at San Carlos and Salamanca, precisely along the route ambulances take to the hospital and where children walk when they are discharged.
After the public complaint, a truck first collected the accumulated trash in Santa Isabel and San Carlos. However, the operation could not be completed that same day because the vehicle got full and did not have enough fuel to continue. The next day, the authorities removed the waste from San Carlos and Salamanca, a process that Torres recorded and shared on social media.
"They say there were huge rats and that it was terrible, but at least it's clean now. We'll see how long it lasts," the journalist commented while recounting what local residents told her during the cleanup.
Despite the cleaning of these critical areas, the solution remains partial. Torres warned that small dumps still remain on Salamanca Street and another hotspot next to the José Antonio Echeverría primary school, an abandoned building at risk of collapse. “The smell is unbearable,” he stated.
The reporter also pointed directly to the root of the problem: the lack of fuel to sustain the garbage collection service. “They don't have enough fuel to collect more bins,” she explained.
The waste crisis in Matanzas reflects the deterioration of the communal system in the province. In May 2026, the Municipal Company of Communals was operating with just 11 active trucks out of a total of 24 or 25 available. Additionally, the daily diesel allocation fluctuated between 300 and 550 liters, far below the 112 liters per vehicle needed to complete two daily routes.
The municipal official, Michel León Rodríguez, recently acknowledged on the program “Con Voz de Pueblo”, from TV Yumurí, the lack of personnel and equipment to address the crisis. However, he attributed the situation to the U.S. embargo, avoiding pointing out the regime's responsibility in the collapse of basic services.
The Provincial Pediatric Hospital Eliseo Noel Caamaño has been facing a critical situation for months. In October 2025, the center operated at 100% occupancy of its 75 beds due to a simultaneous outbreak of dengue, chikungunya, and oropouche. Months later, in February 2026, a video circulated on social media showing dirty restrooms, worn-out floors, and broken furniture within the institution.
Additionally, in April 2026, health authorities reported a provincial alert for hepatitis A in Matanzas, specifically linked to the accumulation of garbage and poor hygienic conditions.
Torres, who on previous occasions has been the target of attacks and discrediting campaigns by official sectors after reporting social issues in the province, emphasized that the solution cannot depend solely on the available fuel.
"Garbage and water must be the priority today, because our lives depend on it," he concluded.
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