Amidst a backdrop of over a thousand neighborhoods in Cuba's capital suffering from waste management issues and streets piled with garbage, the government orchestrated a commendation event in the Granma Community, located in the La Lisa district. This is one of the areas that Miguel Díaz-Canel publicly criticized for its lack of participation in the national sanitation day on October 5th.
The ceremony was led by Gerardo Hernández Nordelo, the national coordinator of the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution (CDR). During the event, accolades were distributed to government officials, state entities, and CDR members for their alleged "outstanding contributions" to the region's sanitation efforts. Among those recognized were various branches of the Ministry of the Interior (MININT), delegates of the Popular Power, and state-affiliated business groups.
Contradictorily, just a few days earlier, Díaz-Canel had expressed his dissatisfaction in a high-level meeting, specifically mentioning that in La Lisa "no one showed up" for the recent waste collection initiative. His criticism was aimed at the inactivity of political coordinators and delegates across several districts, urging accountability "with names and surnames."
“In Diez de Octubre, work was not carried out. There were areas in Playa where nothing was done. In La Lisa, which is quite problematic, no one participated either. Do we not have neighborhood delegates in these areas? Are there no political coordinators? Then they all need to be held accountable,” Díaz-Canel demanded.
This discrepancy between the presidential speech and the award ceremony illustrates the chaos, dissonance, and lack of consistency in managing the sanitation crisis affecting over two million Havana residents. The capital, entrenched in a severe infrastructure and service crisis, has seen its waste collection system collapse, with no structural solution offered by the government.
Official statistics state that the recent weekend operation managed to gather over 35,000 cubic meters of waste. However, it only managed to clean around 300 neighborhoods, a small fraction of the city. Despite this reality, the government chooses to distribute flags and diplomas to institutional and military actors, ignoring public dissatisfaction and complaints about the dire hygienic conditions in neighborhoods like Marianao, San Miguel del Padrón, and Cerro, where makeshift dumps coexist with children, the elderly, and schools.
During the event in La Lisa, participants took the opportunity to express solidarity with the Palestinian people and condemn the U.S. military presence in the Caribbean, diverting attention from the genuine issue plaguing Cubans: the growing unsanitary conditions in their communities.
Key Issues in La Habana's Waste Management Crisis
What did Díaz-Canel criticize about La Lisa?
Díaz-Canel criticized La Lisa for its lack of participation in a national cleanup initiative, stating that no one from the area contributed to the recent waste collection efforts.
How did the government respond to the sanitation issues?
Despite the ongoing sanitation issues, the government held a commendation event in La Lisa, awarding officials and entities for their purported sanitation efforts while overlooking widespread public discontent.
What is the impact of the waste crisis on Havana's residents?
The waste crisis has led to deteriorating hygienic conditions, with makeshift dumps appearing in neighborhoods, creating health risks for residents, including children and the elderly.
What were the results of the recent cleanup operation?
The cleanup operation collected over 35,000 cubic meters of waste, but only managed to clean about 300 neighborhoods, representing a small portion of Havana.