A recorded video among the ruins of the old sugar mill Urbano Noris, in the municipality of San Germán, Holguín, has sparked a wave of nostalgia among Cubans both on the island and abroad by showcasing the state of neglect of one of the country's most iconic mills.
In the images, a woman explores the remnants of the installation while describing the contrast between the splendor of days gone by and the silence that now dominates the place.
"One of the greatest giants of Cuba was this sugar mill in its time, and today it is reduced to ruins. It was a giant, a giant that is completely on the ground," he affirms.
"It is no longer even a quarter of what it used to be. Only silence remains in all its splendor. Silence and more silence. The song of the birds is the only thing left in this place," he adds.
The post sparked hundreds of reactions from former workers, neighbors, and people who completed their internships there. Many recalled that the sugar mill was for decades the main economic engine of San Germán and one of the most important industries in the eastern region.
One of the most discussed testimonies came from a worker who dedicated 28 years of his life to the mill and recalled one of his greatest milestones.
"On March 6, 1986, the absolute national grinding record was achieved with 1,721,358 arrobas in 24 hours and 2,231 metric tons of sugar produced that same day. Please help us not to forget history. Many, hardly anyone remembers anymore. Twenty-eight years battling to prevent de-capitalization, but it was impossible," he wrote.
Another former employee, who spent three decades at the sugar mill, summed up the feelings of many residents of the municipality: "It pains me greatly to see it in such total ruin. Greetings to my beloved town, San Germán."
The mill, originally known as San Germán, was founded in the early 20th century and became one of the largest sugar complexes in Cuba. It had a grinding capacity of 680,000 arrobas daily, more than 1,184 caballerías of land, a workforce exceeding 5,000 workers during the harvest, and even an airport to support its operations.
After the triumph of the Revolution, it was nationalized and renamed as Urbano Noris. The importance of the sugar mill was such that the municipality created in 1976 took on that same name, reflecting the close relationship between the community's life and sugar production activity.
The deterioration of the sugar mill is part of the collapse that the Cuban sugar industry has experienced over the last few decades. In 2002, the so-called "Tarea Álvaro Reynoso," driven by Fidel Castro, closed 71 of the 156 existing mills and subsequently led to the dismantling of nearly a hundred sugar refineries.
Since then, sugar production has fallen to historic lows. The 2024-2025 sugar harvest concluded with less than 150,000 tons, a figure lower than that recorded in 1899, when Cuba was just emerging from the War of Independence. In Holguín, the province where Urbano Noris is located, production didn't even reach 10% of the planned goal.
The 2025-2026 campaign turned out to be even more critical. Only the Tuinucú mill in Sancti Spíritus managed to start operations, producing about 5,600 tons before halting in March 2026 due to a lack of fuel. The crisis also affected alcohol production and other industries related to sugarcane.
For many Cubans, the images of Urbano Noris symbolize the fate of an industry that for decades defined the national economy and the lives of hundreds of communities.
"Thus many sugar mills in Cuba were left in ruins, reduced to ghost towns that were once filled with life and hope," wrote a user.
Another recalled that Cuba once had 156 sugar mills and lamented that today only between four and seven operate throughout the country.
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