The state-run media in Holguín has confirmed a deepening crisis in funeral services, characterized by a severe shortage of coffins, funeral transport, essential supplies, and cemetery space. This dire situation forces families to endure long delays, hasty burials, and other hardships during their mourning period.
An investigative report in the official newspaper ¡Ahora! paints a bleak picture affecting every aspect of the funeral process—from the retrieval of the deceased, the conditions for wakes at funeral homes, to the burial and subsequent exhumation.
Accounts gathered from various local councils in the main municipality reveal that due to the lack of hearses, many bodies are being transported in private vehicles. Additionally, the scarcity of wood and other materials is critically affecting coffin availability.
On this issue, a source in the report stated that unless one unofficially pays between 15,000 to 20,000 pesos, the delivery of a coffin can be indefinitely delayed. The source notes that this problem is not new but has persisted over time.
Workers and managers at the municipal coffin factory—relocated after being destroyed by Hurricane Melissa—acknowledged the poor conditions under which they operate, resulting in substandard finished products. The factory employs around 15 people, only half of what the staff should be.
This chain of deficiencies impacts every link associated with such a sensitive service: the agroforestry company lacks fuel to cut and transport wood; cemeteries are unable to accommodate new burials; hearses are out of service; funeral homes lack air conditioning and basic sanitation.
In Mayabe cemetery, only 25% of the investment plan was fulfilled in 2025 due to a shortage of steel and cement. Of the 26 hearses in the entire province, only eight are operational, according to the report.
The revelations from Ahora follow ongoing reports of similar issues across several provinces. In February, in the Holguín town of Velasco, Gibara municipality, a family resorted to using a makeshift cardboard coffin due to the complete absence of coffins at the local funeral home.
Days earlier, a body in Havana was left untransported for over 12 hours due to a lack of transport and fuel. In September 2025, in Holguín's Reparto Luz, relatives protested in the streets after waiting more than 15 hours for the removal of an elderly woman's body.
The testimonies in the report underscore that alongside material shortages, disorganization, lack of foresight, and neglect in a country where daily survival is paramount, have turned saying a final goodbye to loved ones into a harrowing uncertainty.
Key Issues in Holguín's Funeral Crisis
What are the main issues affecting funeral services in Holguín?
Funeral services in Holguín are plagued by a lack of coffins, funeral transport, basic supplies, and cemetery space, leading to long delays and inadequate burials.
How is the coffin shortage impacting families?
The coffin shortage forces families to either wait for long periods or resort to unofficial payments to secure a coffin, adding stress during mourning.
What are the broader implications of the funeral service crisis?
The crisis highlights deeper systemic issues in Cuba, including material shortages, poor organization, and government neglect, affecting basic services.