Circular Economy Discussion in Guantanamo: More Talk Amid Growing Economic Despair

On Friday, the territorial delegation of Citma in Guantanamo organized a meeting between state and private economic players to advocate for the "circular economy" as a crucial strategy to enhance the quality of life for Guantanamo residents and move towards an environmentally clean future.

The gathering brought together entrepreneurs, small and medium-sized enterprises, and representatives from various sectors like Empresa Poligráfica, Confecciones Ámbar, Muebles Imperio, the meat industry, Education, Agriculture, and Food Production. The stated goal was to identify support needs to expand businesses, certify activities, formalize their legality, and integrate with the state sector, as reported by the Cuban News Agency (ACN). A flawless aim on paper, much like many initiatives in Cuba.

This meeting took place in a region where, based on data presented during the event, approximately 1,600 cubic meters of waste end up in landfills and on the streets. The problem isn't a lack of debates or strategies, but rather the long-standing collapse of the waste collection system.

The Circular Economy Model

The circular economy is a production and consumption model aimed at extending the lifecycle of materials and products by reusing, repairing, and recycling them. Among the practical experiences highlighted was that of the Cantillo brothers, Yoangel and Yoandri, from the community of Los Cocos. They grind about 70 pounds of plastic daily to produce hangers, sticks, bowls, cups, and buckets. Yoangel Cantillo mentioned their potential to increase production to 46 tons of reused plastic annually, with hopes to manufacture tiles and blocks where plastic replaces gravel, according to the source.

However, their operations are hindered by unreliable electricity. The solution proposed during the exchange was for the Poligráfico, a center with its own power supply, to provide them with electricity and even a workspace. In simpler terms, recycling plastic in Cuba by 2026 requires relying on a state center with independent power, given the national grid's unreliability. Only 43% of the recovery plan for the electrical system was implemented in the first quarter of the year, as revealed by a Council of State evaluation on May 14.

Innovative Recycling Efforts

Another initiative presented was that of the mipyme Bebidas y Alimentos Oliverfe from Imías, which transforms bottles and nylon into caps using a self-made small motor, and produces tomato puree, fruit vinegar, and cocoa from cocoa waste. They also use tires and fabric to make tablecloths and pillows, repurpose Poligráfico scraps into agendas, and create sawdust briquettes as a charcoal alternative. This is scarcity engineering elevated to public policy.

Alexander Fernández, head of environmental policy at Citma in Guantanamo, explained the available financing options: bank loans, non-repayable projects, and resources from the National Environmental Fund and international cooperation. A generous list of funding sources for a country that, according to ECLAC, will experience the largest economic contraction in Latin America in 2026, with a projected GDP drop of 6.5%.

Economist Pedro Monreal cautioned that in an adverse scenario, the decline could reach 15%, matching the worst year of the Special Period when GDP shrank by 14.9% in 1993.

The Guantanamo discussion is set against the backdrop of a government economic program introduced in May 2026 featuring 10 general objectives, 111 specific objectives, 505 actions, and 309 indicators. This bureaucratic behemoth, as assessed by the Council of State on May 14, only achieved 39.5% of its first-quarter objectives and 41% of the planned actions. The pattern of plans without execution is as old as the regime itself, and the Guantanamo exchange is just another link in this chain: while the circle of forums, strategies, and indicators continues to expand, the streets remain littered with garbage and the power outages persist.