The independent journalist José Luis Tan Estrada reported this Sunday the presence of a garbage dump in front of the Provincial Center of Hygiene and Epidemiology of Camagüey, an image that sparked numerous criticisms on social media.
The photographs shared by Tan Estrada on their Facebook profile depict waste accumulated around the institution, whose role is precisely to oversee sanitary conditions and prevent diseases in the province. The scene encapsulates a contradiction that is hard to overlook in a city where garbage has become an everyday issue.
Citizens' comments reflected their frustration with a situation that, as they described, affects many neighborhoods. "There is a trash heap and a terrible stench on every corner," wrote one resident.
Another person stated that "this is how everything is in Camagüey," while someone who passed by the area on Friday recalled there was "a terrible smell." There were also direct criticisms of the management of local authorities.
One of the comments pointed out that some small and medium-sized enterprises hired for waste collection offer their services only to those who can afford them, while the rest of the population remains without a solution. "No street is spared anymore," summarized another user referring to the historic center.
The crisis is far from being an isolated issue. According to estimates, the municipal company for Community Services collects only between 35% and 40% of the approximately 220 tons of waste generated by the city daily.
Local authorities have attributed the deficiencies to a "severe fuel shortage" and the deterioration of the state vehicle fleet, but the problem has spread to various areas of the city throughout the year.
On General Gómez Street, residents reported nine dumping sites, one of which is located next to a children's playground. In August, a resident of Camujiro Street complained that trash hadn't been picked up for two months, with waste taking up the entire street.
In July, another dump located on Las Palmas Street caught fire during the early hours of the morning. The explosions and thick smoke forced families to take shelter in nearby homes, while authorities described the incident as "social indiscipline."
Neglect has also affected the Historic Center of Camagüey, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. In October, two elderly individuals nearly 80 years old cleaned up on their own the garbage dump located in front of the church of Santa Ana, due to the lack of municipal services.
The accumulation of waste not only deteriorates the urban environment, but also promotes the proliferation of mosquitoes, flies, and rodents, posing risks to public health.
In April, the authorities in Agramonte acknowledged a notable increase in cases of hepatitis A in the county seat, although the Deputy Minister of Public Health, Julio Guerra, denied that there was a national epidemic.
In September, it was announced that the MIPYME Almaley S.R.L. had officially initiated the hiring process to collect and manage solid waste in the Historic Center, due to the challenges facing state communal services.
One of the episodes that caused the most outrage occurred on October 23, when an extraordinary trash collection took place in the Sánchez Soto neighborhood in anticipation of the supposed visit from the leader Miguel Díaz-Canel. This mobilization stood in contrast to the complaints from residents who have been waiting for this service for months and fueled criticism regarding the authorities' ability to address the everyday needs of the population.
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