The graffiti, attributed to a group of tourists, have shocked some and generated excitement in others.
14ymedio, Julio César Contreras, Cienfuegos, 27 March 2025 – A malecón isn’t just a sea wall. It needs people coming and going, and some pleasurable activity or other going on. In Cienfuegos, the longest wall in the city has been losing, bit by bit, that which drew both tourists and residents to spend some time there in front of the waves. Through a lack of street lighting, holes in the pavements and the strict prohibition of fishing in the area, little remains today of its former atmosphere of hustle and bustle.
The recent appearance of three pieces of graffiti on the wall has once again brought this recreational zone – which begins at the Paseo del Prado and finishes at Punta Gorda – into the centre of local debate. The graffiti, assumed to have been made by a group of tourists, has scandalised some people, whilst causing some excitement in others – but whichever the case it has sparked a debate about the most spectacular sea view in the city.
With the title ’Graffiti as Art, or Vandalism Disguised as Art’, one statement linked to official sources criticised the “poor quality” of the work of tourists who then “move on, leaving us with their ugly handiwork”. The webpage ’Fernanda’s Things’ branded as “visual aggression” and “vandalism” the graffiti designs which have appeared at various points in Cienfuegos, most notably on the malecón and in the historical city centre.
The graffiti assault has unleashed a wave of opinions, both for and against, but it has also opened up a familiar old wound for Cienfuegos residents. “What they ought to be doing is looking after the deteriorating sections of the wall and the potholes everywhere”, complained Darío on Monday – a 48-year-old street seller of sweets and candies who walks the length of the seafront several times daily.
“Also, they need to get some better quality light bulbs in the street lighting because there are some with very low brightness and at nighttime it leaves the place in darkness”, says the seller, and he tells 14ymedio about the times in his youth when he often used to wake up on the sea wall. “It’s dangerous if you do that now because it’s so dark after sunset and people just don’t want to come here”.
For Darío, one of the greatest losses on the malecón has been the fishermen who have been prohibited from carrying out their activities on this part of the coast. “Ever since they implemented the new Fishing Law they prohibited them from coming here with their rods, hooks and bait”, he explains. He says that without those figures, who used to be dotted all the way along the sea wall, the promenade has lost some of its essential character.
The prohibition of fishing on the malecón is just part of a general deterioration of the Cienfuegos bay area – one of the most important industrial areas on the island, where the port activities converge with those of the refinery and other industrial plants to give out toxic waste. “The industrial and the sewage discharges all get poured into these waters, so they’re pretty dirty”, he adds.
The three graffitis on the malecón seem to be the least of the Ciénfuegos residents’ problems. They are centred within just two blocks – between the Provincial Hygiene Centre building and the Radio Sea City building. “There are no refuse bins around there and all the plants that were established there are dried out because the Community Services Company can’t be bothered to look after them”, says another local who’s a regular visitor to the malecón.
“It’s become a dangerous place to be at night because drug and alcohol users arrive here and the police don’t do anything”, he says. This local resident blames the situation on the lack of alternative recreational activities for the youth of Cienfuegos. The nearby Plaza Cultural (Culture Square) hosts barely a couple of events in its monthly calendar and the prices in the cafeterias and bars remain beyond the reach of most; and the lengthy power cuts conspire against any attempts at an artistic programme for them.
“My parents told me that guys with guitars used to turn up here and there was a great atmosphere”, says Mailén – a 21-year-old who often comes to the malecón to watch a group of skateboarders. “It’s all that there is left for entertainment because this city is practically dead for young people”. The young woman interprets the graffiti as an act of rebellion against the situation in the area.
With its furrowed brow, one of the painted faces on the wall is described by Mailén: “This one seems to be hungry, or he’s angry because there’s no electricity”, she speculates. “That one with the cap and the red face reminds me of a policeman who’s watching someone who’s not committing any offence but everyone turns a blind eye to what’s really happening here”, she continues to interpret the shapes and the colours.
In the malecón of Mailén’s dreams there are “graffitis, sellers with lots to offer, fishermen and lots of young people enjoying themselves”. This last detail is fairly improbable as Cienfuegos has one of Cuba’s most aged populations. The percentage of people over 60 is 24.9% – above the national average of 24.4%.
Translated by Ricardo Recluso
____________
COLLABORATE WITH OUR WORK: The 14ymedio team is committed to practicing serious journalism that reflects Cuba’s reality in all its depth. Thank you for joining us on this long journey. We invite you to continue supporting us by becoming a member of 14ymedio now. Together we can continue transforming journalism in Cuba.