A neighbor from the Lenin neighborhood in Holguín posted an urgent complaint to raise awareness about the massive accumulation of trash in the area, with makeshift dumps located just meters away from a children's center, a primary school, and a pathway frequently used by children and medical personnel.
Jane Céspedes shared the complaint in the Facebook group "Reparto Lenin, Holguín SALES", accompanied by photographs showing overflowing containers and waste occupying the sidewalk and part of the street, with cardboard, plastics, bags, debris, and mixed organic waste.
"The largest landfill is located right behind the perimeter fence of the children's circle 'My First Years' in the Lenin neighborhood. This is serious for our little ones due to the rise of arboviruses and hepatitis," Céspedes wrote.
The complainant identified three critical hotspots: the first, adjacent to the children's circle; the second, very close to the "Amistad con los pueblos" school; and the third, on 18th Street, where doctors and patients travel daily to the provincial hospital and medical students head to the Faculty of Medicine.
"The smell is unbearable; it's been over a month since the garbage was collected," he warned, adding that the bins distributed throughout the neighborhood are becoming breeding grounds for mosquitoes.
In a published image, a girl in her school uniform is seen walking beside the landfill, accompanied by a woman, probably her mother; a demonstration of the daily exposure of children to that situation.
Céspedes directed his appeal straight to the provincial authorities: "The children are not to blame for this; we are putting their lives in danger. Is it that no one sees, that no one cares?"
He requested that the containers be relocated to less populated areas, away from schools and student residences, and emphasized that "a miracle is not needed; it is a decision from someone in authority."
And he closed his post with a phrase that captures the desperation of the residents: "Lenin neighborhood is the face of Holguín due to its proximity to the hospital. Please, any member of the Party, the Government, or public health, who evaluates this case."
The complaint comes amid a severe waste collection crisis in Holguín, a reality that its residents have been reporting throughout the year.
In May, a garbage dump was growing next to a preschool; in June, the landfills were on fire in the neighborhoods; and in August, a garbage dump surrounded a primary school days before the start of the school year.
The Municipal Services Company claims that it lacks the means to provide services: a shortage of trucks, fuel, spare parts, and personnel.
The Cuban government acknowledges issues with waste collection, yet continues to provide no concrete solutions.
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