Residents of Moncada Street, situated between Martí and San Ricardo in the bustling heart of Santiago de Cuba, are grappling with a distressing scene: sewage water pooling for nearly three weeks, trash floating, and garbage piling up. Despite being reported by journalist Yosmany Mayeta Labrada on Friday, local authorities have yet to address this pressing sanitary issue.
This particular stretch, commonly referred to as "the block of leaves" or "the witchcraft street," lies just steps away from the bustling Paseo de Martí. A resident, Alfonso, who shared images and details, explained that the sewage originates from a blocked drainage system at San Ricardo and Callejuela, clogged for over three weeks.
"Around 21 days ago, the sewage systems became blocked with waste spilling from San Ricardo and Callejuela," Alfonso stated.
The accompanying photographs depict a street submerged in dark water, littered with disintegrated cardboard boxes, plastic bags, and various debris. This is not merely a street post-rainfall but a festering infrastructure issue worsening week by week.
Sanitary Emergency: An Urgent Call for Action
This situation is elevated to a health emergency due to the vulnerable population residing there, including "four infants under five months and elderly individuals," as Alfonso highlighted. "It's a significant epidemic hotspot," he emphasized.
Alfonso has exhausted the available institutional channels, reaching out to the family doctor’s office, the Policlínico Finlay under Santiago de Cuba’s Health Department, and the head of the Popular Council, Viviana. The stark response he received underscores the state of communal services in Cuba: "They said there’s no fuel to send the truck."
This excuse—fuel scarcity—is not a local anomaly. It echoes throughout the island in similar complaints. In Havana, fewer than half of the garbage trucks were operational at the start of 2026, stalled by fuel shortages and mechanical issues.
Recurring Infrastructure Failures Across Cuba
The scenario on Moncada Street is not isolated in Santiago. Back in February 2026, a sewer main burst in the Vista Hermosa neighborhood due to a blockage, flooding homes with wastewater. Just three days before this new report, a massive food poisoning incident affected 52 individuals in the José Martí Pérez urban center, with 18 hospitalized, including two pregnant women and three children.
In April 2026, Santiago’s provincial government itself admitted to a "worrying hygienic-epidemiological deterioration," citing poor sanitation, water purification failures, and above-average infestation levels of the Aedes aegypti mosquito—carrier of dengue and chikungunya—over the past five years.
This sanitary breakdown is not exclusive to Santiago. On the same Friday, writer Rodolfo Alpízar Castillo reported sewage overflows in Santos Suárez, Havana, where wastewater mingles with potable water, effectively erasing the street. Additionally, last Tuesday, Cienfuegos residents reported receiving water teeming with large larvae, red worms, and living organisms, supplied from the Damují conduit in Abreus.
With every rainfall over Moncada Street, the buildup intensifies and the danger escalates. Residents are urgently calling for intervention to prevent this sanitation issue from escalating into a widespread public health crisis.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Sanitation Crisis in Santiago de Cuba
What is causing the sewage problem on Moncada Street?
The sewage issue on Moncada Street is due to a blockage in the drainage system at San Ricardo and Callejuela, which has remained unresolved for over three weeks.
How are local authorities responding to the sanitation issues?
Local authorities have not yet addressed the sanitation problems, citing a lack of fuel as the reason for not dispatching necessary services.
Are similar infrastructure issues occurring elsewhere in Cuba?
Yes, similar infrastructure failures are occurring across Cuba, including sewage overflows in Havana and contaminated water supply issues in Cienfuegos.