The boulevard on Libertad Street in the city of Holguín, designed in 2005 as a pedestrian-only walkway to connect the squares of the historic center, has lost its original purpose and has become a chaotic thoroughfare daily invaded by bike taxis, tricycles, bicycles, and horse-drawn carts.
This was stated this Friday by the provincial broadcaster Radio Angulo, describing the section between Luz Caballero and Arias streets as a "heterogeneous and chaotic transit route" where "the pedestrian has transitioned from being the protagonist to becoming a spectator at risk."
The 280-meter promenade was designed as a space for citizen interaction, "never for disorder," the text emphasized.
"Defending the boulevard is not merely an aesthetic whim, but a necessity for civic coexistence and respect for our collective heritage. A community that loses its boulevard doesn't just lose a promenade; it also loses a piece of its soul," emphasized Radio Angulo, while directly addressing the institutions responsible for urban planning oversight.
The sculpture "The Lady with the Parasol," one of the decorative elements of the boulevard, collapsed on the night of May 15, despite users having alerted on social media in previous weeks about the visible decay of the structure, which showed deep cracks, exposed rusty rods, and a dangerous tilt.
The water fountain that accompanied the sculpture also disappeared. Radio Angulo described the piece as "a silent witness to a walkway that is gradually fading away."
The public transport crisis worsens the situation. Since February, the Provincial Transportation Delegation has suspended bus services due to a fuel shortage.
Since then, the authorities issued temporary special permits for over 200 electric tricycles to operate in the provincial capital, which apparently influences these vehicles to invade previously restricted areas, including the boulevard.
The chaos in the promenade reflects a broader pattern of urban decay affecting the Cuban City of Parks. The city, once regarded as one of the cleanest in Cuba, is now facing makeshift dumps, alongside iconic spaces in ruins, from the old Holguín-Gibara train station to the IPVCE José Martí, which has collapsed dormitories and unusable swimming pools.
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