Rigoberto Ferrera Continues to Highlight Havana's Trash Burning Crisis

Cuban actor and comedian Rigoberto Ferrera, known for his ongoing critiques under the alias "El látigo de comunales," once again stirred social media on Saturday with a fresh video. Using his signature sarcasm, Ferrera captured plumes of smoke rising from burning trash in "La Pera" park, located in Havana's Plaza de la Revolución municipality, at six in the evening.

Though the clip is merely 15 seconds long, it speaks volumes beyond any official report. "Well, there you have it, right now [...] burning the trash here," Ferrera narrates as the camera showcases smoke and flames perilously close to plastic waste bins.

The accompanying post text is equally biting: "At 6pm this was happening in 'La Pera' park, also known as 'Principado de Asturias.' Say NO to all kinds of pollution. Share it. Love you. Sincerely, El látigo de comunales." His tone remains as ironic, affectionate, and scathing as ever.

The Ongoing Waste Management Crisis

For those residing in Havana, such scenes are all too familiar. The garbage crisis has persisted for months without resolution: the capital produces between 24,000 and 30,000 cubic meters of waste daily but has only 10,000 containers, where it needs between 20,000 and 30,000. In February, just 44 of the 106 garbage trucks were operational due to a diesel shortage.

Faced with this collapse, the most "revolutionary" solution has been to set everything ablaze. Residents accused the Communales of burning waste at their own facilities in Regla and Diez de Octubre. Shortly after, another burning was reported in the Metropolitan Park, a mere 50 meters from a hospital in a neighborhood populated by the elderly and children. The "El Bote" landfill, at 100 and Boyeros, frequently erupts into flames, blanketing entire neighborhoods in toxic smoke for weeks.

Public Reaction and Health Hazards

The comments on Ferrera's video serve as a barometer of Cuban dark humor. "That's a revolutionary program, after two days of meetings at the palace of 'conversions,' they unanimously reached this agreement," jokes one commentator. Another reminds viewers that "Bruno [Rodríguez Parrilla] says the trash in Cuba is different." A third chimes in: "They say they're going to remove the 'minister' of Communales. Not needed anymore."

Yet, it’s not all laughter. One viewer sums up the grim dilemma: "We don't know what's worse, leaving the waste to breed rodents and insects and cause epidemics, or burning it and inhaling toxins. Between a rock and a hard place. Waiting for 'divine solutions.'" Another resident states bluntly: "You open the windows and can't breathe clean air because it's smoke and the stench of burning."

The accumulated garbage also serves as breeding grounds for Aedes mosquitoes, carriers of dengue and chikungunya. The regime acknowledged an epidemic in 2025, then stopped releasing data. A "clean-up crusade" was launched in December of that year, featuring President Miguel Díaz-Canel collecting trash for the cameras. Mere propaganda, as the issue, like the waste, continues to grow.

Ferrera’s Past Exposés

This is not Ferrera's first time spotlighting this disaster. On April 25, he shared another ironic video in front of a pile of trash in Perfecto Lacoste: "Signatures are being gathered here for waste removal. For a better city." Meanwhile, the crisis also spills over into Matanzas and other provinces.

In a blend of jest and genuine concern, a commenter warned Ferrera: "Buddy, get a bodyguard, Communales might come after you." Another, with the resignation born of 67 years under a dictatorship, remarked: "It's good to film it, so if capitalism ever arrives, the new generations can see one of the revolution's 'conquests.'"