From our Power to the People Bureau with some assistance to our Bureau of Solutions to Problems Caused by Socialism
Tired of waiting for trash heaps on their streets to be hauled away by Castro, Inc., some residents of the eastern city of Santiago have taken matters into their own hands by setting the garbage ablaze. Never mind the toxic smoke or the risk of setting off a conflagration that spreads to nearby buildings. So what if there are tires in the trash pile, as in the image above. It’s a solution. As Cubans have been saying for six decades in response to shortages and government inefficiency: “Resolví mi problema” (I’ve fixed my problem).
Loosely translated from ADN Cuba (click on THIS LINK to see video)
Residents of Santiago de Cuba are burning garbage in their neighborhoods due to delays in waste collection by the local authorities, reported journalist Yosmany Mayeta.
Reports of this type of protest have come from neighborhoods such as Ateneo and Gasómetro Street, among others.
Mayeta added that the situation is more serious because large dumpsters are located in front of schools, butcher shops, and private homes.
The dumpster on Gasómetro Street was only cleared after complaints appeared on social media and the residents set it on fire.
Complaints about delays in garbage collection have spread to several provinces across the country, including the capital.
Last July, Havana authorities acknowledged the severe crisis with garbage collection in the capital, citing issues like a shortage of trucks due to breakdowns and a lack of fuel.
According to the state-run newspaper Granma, garbage accumulation in recent months in the island’s most populated city has been increasing at an average rate of 30,108 cubic meters per day, surpassing the previous year’s figures.
Due to the severe garbage collection issue, diseases linked to vectors and rodents are also spreading.
Belkis Aracelis Barrera, an epidemiologist at the National Rehabilitation Hospital “Julito Díaz,” noted an increase this summer in illnesses such as vomiting and diarrhea caused by flies; leptospirosis, associated with rats; and viruses like dengue, Zika, chikungunya, and Oropouche, which are spread by mosquito bites.