Mounds of waste blocking entire streets, mice inside homes, smoke from makeshift burnings... that is the reality faced by the residents of the Biplanta neighborhood in Cárdenas, Matanzas, as reported by citizen journalist Christian Arboláez on Facebook.
The post, which includes four photos, showcases various types of waste—cardboards, plastic bags, debris, decomposing organic matter, branches, and discarded furniture—piled up over several blocks between residential buildings.
The trash practically covers the entire sidewalks and part of the road.
Residents warn that the problem has transcended aesthetics to become a public health emergency: the proliferation of rodents and insects has reached inside homes, and in the absence of waste collection, some refuse ends up being burned, producing smoke that affects those living nearby.
This is compounded by a water crisis that has been ongoing for months. Some residents have had to dig wells as an alternative, with concern that this water may be contaminated. In mid-August, an electrical failure in the Smith Comas well field left 70 % of the city of Cárdenas without supply for several days.
Arboláez was straightforward in his questioning of the authorities: "Is there no fuel for the equipment of Communals? Are there no resources available? Or does the fuel appear for other purposes, even for leisure and outings, but not to address a health issue that is right outside people's homes?"
Those affected claim to have reached out to Community Services, Public Health, the local government, and representatives of the area without receiving an effective response. "Here we are not just talking about cleanliness. We are talking about health, water, and minimal living conditions," wrote the journalist.
The readers' reaction to the post was overwhelming. "Speechless, and without a solution. It's the ABC of Cuba," wrote one internet user. Another noted, "Concern from the relevant authorities? NONE! Concern for the health of the people? Absolutely NONE!" A third succinctly summarized: "I thought it was Nepal, God forgive me."
"It's painful to see how Cárdenas is suffering and there’s no solution. What are they waiting for, for the neighbors to pay for the fuel to pick up the garbage?" concluded another comment, summarizing the indignation of those who have been waiting for a response for months that never comes.
The situation with Biplanta is not an isolated case. In May, the municipal authorities of Matanzas acknowledged that only 11 out of the 24 available garbage collection trucks were operational, with a daily allocation of just 300 to 550 liters of diesel, far below the 112 liters per vehicle needed to complete two rounds. In June, an improvised garbage dump in the center of Cárdenas caught fire and required the intervention of firefighters.
The waste collection crisis exacerbates the health situation.
Since April, provincial authorities have issued alerts for outbreaks of hepatitis A in Cárdenas, with active cases in the La Marina neighborhood. In June, Matanzas accounted for 40% of the provincial annual total of hepatitis and Cárdenas was listed among the municipalities under simultaneous alert for dengue.
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