A Garbage Crisis Engulfs Havana as Fuel Shortages Stall Trash Pickup

CUBA – For months, 2 million residents of Havana have lived with piles of garbage accumulating on almost every street corner.

The situation deteriorated after a U.S. energy blockade triggered power outages, water shortages, and a fuel crisis that brought state-run garbage trucks to a standstill.

Without regular garbage collection, residents have begun burning waste in the streets, raising alarm among health officials over potentially toxic smoke.

An official at the Ministry of Science, Technology and the Environment warned that the current garbage collection situation, combined with rising temperatures and impending rains, could worsen conditions.

The heat and moisture threaten to trigger a proliferation of disease-carrying flies and mosquitoes.