ETECSA once again urged the public on Monday not to burn trash near telephone poles and cabinets, in a post on their Facebook account that completely omits the root cause of the issue: the collapse of waste collection services in Cuba.
The state telecommunications company warned that "the incidence of garbage burning continues to increase," and justified the statement by pointing out that the damaged resources "are expensive and difficult to acquire due to the obsolescence of external network technology."
The message concludes with a phrase that encapsulates the company's approach: “Caring for telecommunications is everyone's responsibility; avoid burning trash near poles and telephone cabinets. Protect the networks that connect you.”
This is the umpteenth warning of this kind that ETECSA has issued so far in 2026. The Western Territorial Directorate had already published an urgent notice in February regarding the burning of trash that harms telecommunications, and in September, it repeated the warning, stating that this practice puts "the connection of the entire block at risk."
On none of the three occasions did the company mention that the burning of waste is a direct consequence of the State not collecting it.
The citizen reaction on social media has been one of outrage and irony. "But I can't eat the trash. The government is responsible for finding alternatives and solutions so that the community doesn't burn the garbage," one user replied in September. Another was more direct: "The people are always to blame for everything."
The root of the problem is structural. In February 2026, the garbage crisis in Havana had already gained attention in the international press: only 44 out of the 106 garbage collection trucks in the capital were operational, which is 41.5% of the fleet, while the city generates between 24,000 and 30,000 cubic meters of waste per day.
In the absence of garbage collection, many residents resort to burning the accumulated waste in front of their homes. However, these fires can also start accidentally, and their consequences extend beyond damage to telecommunications: the smoke can worsen respiratory issues, the flames can reach homes, vehicles, and power lines, and put the lives of residents and passersby at risk.
The damages are documented and increasing. In Santa Fe, a burned ETECSA cabinet along with garbage left a residential area without landline service for nearly three months. In Tulipán and Mariano, a pole ignited next to a dumpster, leaving the infrastructure hanging from the branches of a tree, with the issue reported since March 2026 without resolution. More recently, residents of the Casino Deportivo reported nearly a month without phone service following a fire that damaged ETECSA cables.
ETECSA has accumulated around 77,000 reports of interrupted fixed services and has acknowledged that 90% of its technologies are imported and that landline telephony does not cover its own operating costs. The company also attributes its blackouts to the limitations in expanding the network, but does not publicly demand that the State resolve the waste crisis that exacerbates these limitations.
A user summed it up accurately: "ETECSA, you are also part of that EVERYONE. How many times have you demanded that the government, which is the main responsible party, collect the trash?"
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