Havana Crumbles Amidst Ruins and Trash: Stark Images Reveal the Neglect of Cuba's Capital

Images captured by TikTok user @cubaactual have gone viral for exposing the harsh reality currently unfolding on the streets of Havana.

Filmed in various areas of the city's center, the videos depict scenes of neglect, heaps of garbage, and crumbling buildings, highlighting the collapse of public services and urban decay in Cuba.

On iconic streets such as Belascoaín in Centro Habana, visitors encounter cracked columns, peeling facades, and piles of rubble that locals must navigate daily.

Trash accumulates on street corners for days, with local authorities failing to collect it, creating an unsanitary and hazardous environment for residents.

The footage also reveals overgrown lots, rusted signs, crumbling old facades, and makeshift markets where Cubans strive to sell what little they have: used shoes, recycled parts, and second-hand household items. It paints a bleak picture of daily survival amid scarcity.

In several scenes, children play near piles of waste while adults rummage through trash searching for anything of value. These images starkly contrast with the Cuban regime's official rhetoric, which claims efforts are being made to "clean and beautify the capital." The reality tells a different story: a city left to fend for itself.

Comments on the video echo the sentiments of many Cubans both inside and outside the country. "God, please help us lift our island so we can be better than we once were: free, prosperous, with health, food, homes, and education," wrote one user.

Another comment laments, "How sad it is to see such a beautiful country in ruins. God, lend a hand." A third sums up the general feeling: "What sadness."

Once known as "the pearl of the Caribbean," Havana now endures amidst trash, ruins, and despair, symbolizing the deep economic, social, and humanitarian decline facing Cuba.