"We Can't Live With This Stench"...Complaints Soar as Trash Overwhelms This Country

More Than Half of Garbage Trucks Taken Off the Streets
Trash Heaps Pile Up Across Havana

As fuel shortages in Cuba have worsened due to the blockade measures of the Trump administration in the United States, garbage has been piling up across the capital city of Havana and garbage trucks are no longer operating, a situation that continues unabated. The stench of rotting food from the piles of trash is triggering a flood of complaints from residents.

People are passing by trash on a downtown street in Havana, Cuba. Reuters, Yonhap News

On the 16th (local time), foreign media reported scenes from several streets in Havana where all kinds of trash, including plastic bottles, cardboard boxes, and food waste, were piled up. Because the Trump administration’s energy blockade has led to a fuel shortage, more than half of the garbage collection trucks have been taken out of service. According to the local outlet Cubadebate, only 44 of the 106 garbage trucks in Havana are currently operable this month.

As the garbage keeps piling up, residents are growing anxious as they are forced to breathe in the stench on the streets. Some people even rummage through the trash heaps to look for items that can be reused. Public health is facing a grave crisis.

Cuba’s fuel shortage is closely tied to the Trump administration’s economic blockade. The Trump administration cut off the supply of crude oil from Venezuela to Cuba and, starting last month, began imposing tariffs on countries that supply oil to Cuba, introducing a series of powerful sanctions. As a result, Cuba, which had depended on oil supplies from Venezuela, was suddenly hit by an acute fuel shortage. This has disrupted electricity supply and brought public transportation almost to a standstill. Some airlines have even suspended flights to Cuba because of a shortage of jet fuel.

People walk past trash on a street in Havana, Cuba. Reuters and Yonhap News Agency

To address the crisis, the Cuban government has introduced a four-day workweek at state-owned enterprises and imposed restrictions on fuel sales as part of its emergency response. Nevertheless, public transportation services are still reduced, and many residents are struggling to find a way to get to work. Some residents said, "Buses are barely running, and there are many days when we simply cannot get to work."

The fuel shortage has caused a surge in the sale of charcoal and firewood. AFP reported that more and more people have recently been looking to buy charcoal. One resident said, "Charcoal is expensive too, but this is still the cheapest option," adding, "As long as we have charcoal, we can at least cook." Low-income households that cannot afford charcoal are using firewood as fuel instead.