Italian Tourist Sparks Controversy on TikTok by Calling Cuba "The Dirtiest Country" She Has Seen

An Italian tourist, known as @geoterry_ on TikTok, ignited a firestorm of debate after posting a video showcasing the streets of Havana littered with garbage, overflowing trash cans, and stagnant water. She labeled Cuba as "the dirtiest" and "most disgusting" country she has ever visited.

The brief video, posted on a Saturday, quickly became a battleground for opinions among Italian, Cuban, and Latin American users. The reactions were mixed, with some criticizing the lack of empathy shown by the creator, while others thanked her for revealing the island's harsh reality.

"Welcome to Cuba, guys. This is the dirtiest country I've ever seen in my life. It's the most disgusting place I've ever been," she stated, walking through Havana's streets.

The tourist dismissed the idea that recent U.S. policies under the Trump administration were to blame: "This isn't a situation caused by the last couple of months; it's because there is simply no culture of recycling, cleanliness, or order here."

Although she acknowledged that Cuba "has tremendous potential," she sarcastically concluded with an emphatic "absolutely not," reminding viewers that the embargo has been cited as an excuse for "seventy years."

The video spurred intense debate on TikTok, with users responding to both the tourist's remarks and Cuba's current state. Many criticized her tone, arguing she spoke without understanding the nation's history or the context of economic crisis, blackouts, shortages, and service collapse plaguing the island. "It's not the people's fault; it's a political issue," one user commented. Others noted, "Cuba wasn't always like this," reminiscing about past trips when cities were described as "clean and well-maintained."

Conversely, numerous comments seized the opportunity to hold the Cuban regime and communism accountable for the visible decay. Phrases like "This is communism," "failure of the communist regime," and "thank you for showing Cuba's reality" were among the most repeated. Some attributed the crisis partly to the U.S. embargo, while others argued that the primary issue is "decades of government mismanagement." Amid criticism, defenses, and comparisons with European cities, the video evolved into a broader discussion about Cuba's current reality.

Havana's garbage crisis is a well-documented, chronic issue. The Cuban capital produces over 30,000 cubic meters of waste daily, but collection efforts fall short due to fuel shortages and deteriorating fleets of trucks. Although the Díaz-Canel regime declared urban sanitation a "national priority" in 2018, the problem persists without a structural solution.

In October 2025, a massive cleanup effort collected over 35,000 cubic meters of trash over a weekend, yet left more than 1,000 districts unattended. Burning trash containers on public roads have become a common sight in Havana.

The case of @geoterry_ is not an isolated incident. In July 2025, Argentine influencer Melina Moriatis went viral with a video contrasting "what's sold to tourists" with the grim reality of decaying streets and poverty. In August of the same year, a Colombian tourist sparked outrage by calling Cubans "super dirty and filthy," a video that was later removed following widespread backlash.

Tourism, one of the regime's main sources of revenue, plummeted by 48% in the first quarter of 2026 compared to the same period in 2025, with only 298,057 visitors recorded, marking one of the lowest figures in recent years.

As the debate continues on TikTok, images of Havana's trash-laden streets keep circulating on social media, portraying a city in collapse. The government itself acknowledges it cannot keep the city clean, yet the root cause —67 years of communist dictatorship— remains unspoken by those in power.