Piles of Garbage Obstruct Matanzas' City Center: Are Our Leaders Blind?

A resident of Matanzas recently took to Facebook to highlight the overwhelming accumulation of trash at the intersection of Embarcadero, Blanco, and Mujica, right in the city's heart. The waste not only blocks traffic completely but also stretches over 100 meters down Mujica Street.

Emilio Prieto Núñez, who shared the post, painted a picture of the scene with biting sarcasm: "Look at this ‘beauty’ in our battered Matanzas. If you look closely, anyone coming down Embarcadero in a vehicle can't continue—the road's entirely blocked. Mujica is even worse, over 100 meters of uninterrupted trash, and weeds are now growing from the garbage."

The accompanying images reveal heaps of mattresses, plastics, debris, cardboard, and organic waste covering much of the roadway, with stagnant water puddles and dilapidated buildings in the background. A man on a bicycle is seen navigating through the debris on what remains of the path.

The Operational Breakdown

The core problem is systemic: the Matanzas Municipal Communal Services is operating with just 11 of its 24 garbage trucks, many sidelined due to a diesel shortage. The company receives between 300 and 550 liters of fuel daily, though it requires over 2,700 liters to efficiently cover all its routes, according to media reports from May and August 2026.

Recurring Waste Crisis

This isn't the first instance of a central Matanzas corner becoming an impromptu garbage dump due to communal service failures. Similar scenarios were documented in April at Levante and Solís, and in May, even the official media reported on the waste flooding the city, acknowledging the collapse of the service.

Health Risks and Public Outrage

The health impact is severe and well-documented. Since April, provincial authorities have issued alerts about hepatitis A outbreaks in municipalities like Matanzas, Cárdenas, and Versalles. In June alone, seven new confirmed cases and 49 suspected cases emerged within a single week. That same month, the first two dengue cases of the season were identified in the southern region. By August, reports showed that refuse was being swept by the San Juan and Yumurí rivers, contaminating the bay. In September, clogged sewers exacerbated flooding during heavy rains that struck the historic center.

Comments on the post reflect an indignation that extends beyond the trash. Betty Gutiérrez was forthright: "Shameful. Hygiene and Epidemiology don't come through here, no one from Municipal or Provincial Health, inspectors, all blind and mute, yet cars are going up and down. Air-conditioned meetings while people are sick and without medicine." She concluded, "If they can't handle their responsibilities, they should step down."

From Brazil, Harold Martínez Alonso added another layer to the discussion: "There’s no doubt that the entire state apparatus in Cuba is failing, but to go around telling the world that Cuba is an example is a total disrespect to the Cuban people." Martínez Alonso, who lives near the Brazil-Uruguay border, noted that "buses filled with Cubans arrive daily seeking entry and refuge" and that "it breaks your heart to see the faces and conditions of the newly arrived."

Prieto Núñez wrapped up his post with a question that echoes the sentiments of many in Matanzas: "Are our leaders blind? It's disgusting how they've degraded Matanzas."