A brief 20-second video posted on Facebook by a Cuban woman named Yicsi Garcia has become one of the most poignant expressions of the public's frustration on the island.
Captured from within her home, the video highlights the stark contrast between her well-maintained property and the piles of trash and debris lining the street just beyond her fence.
"This is how Cuba is... I love things clean and beautiful," she laments before exclaiming, "What a punishment, what a punishment to have stayed in this country, what a punishment not to have left, even if it meant crossing the sea, even if sharks had eaten me. No one expected this, no one saw this coming," she states in the video, encapsulating the sentiments of thousands of Cubans who haven’t emigrated.
The post includes the caption: "And without expecting anything from those who should be responsible. Only a miracle from God to heal this land," directly pointing to the government's responsibility without explicitly naming it.
Cuba's Escalating Waste Crisis
The situation depicted in the video is far from isolated. Havana is grappling with an unprecedented waste crisis: only 44 of the 106 garbage trucks required are operational due to diesel shortages and the deteriorating vehicle fleet.
The capital produces between 24,000 and 30,000 cubic meters of solid waste daily, yet just 68% of that amount is collected. The remainder clogs streets, turning areas like Neptuno, Monte, San José, and Belascoaín into hotspots of infection and debris.
Desperate Measures and Government Inaction
With the waste collection system overwhelmed, residents have resorted to burning trash in public areas, a practice releasing toxic smoke containing dioxins and furans. On April 9, the door of a Havana church was charred by one such fire.
Armando Rodríguez Batista, the Minister of Science, Technology, and Environment, stated on February 24, "We do not incite or promote the open burning of solid waste without proper safety, as a common practice," yet failed to propose concrete solutions.
The regime initiated an "Operation Cleanup" with 49 measures from November 2025 to February 2026, but these have yielded no tangible results for the public.
The Emotional Toll of Staying Behind
Garcia's outburst about not emigrating—even at the risk of perishing at sea—mirrors the mood of those who remain as over 1.7 million Cubans have fled the island since 2021.
This mass exodus has emptied entire neighborhoods, leaving Cuba as the top country for asylum requests in Brazil in 2025, with 41,919 applications, surpassing even Venezuelans.
According to demographer Albizu-Campos, the Cuban population may have declined by 24% since 2021, dropping to just over eight million by the end of 2024, compared to the 9.6 million reported by the National Assembly in 2025.
Understanding Cuba's Waste Management Challenge
What is causing Havana's waste crisis?
The waste crisis in Havana is primarily due to a shortage of operational garbage trucks, exacerbated by a lack of diesel fuel and deteriorating vehicle conditions.
How are residents dealing with uncollected garbage?
Residents have taken to burning trash in public areas, despite the health risks associated with the release of toxic smoke.
What was the purpose of "Operation Cleanup" in Cuba?
"Operation Cleanup" was launched to address the waste collection issue, implementing 49 measures from November 2025 to February 2026, although it has shown little impact.