The number of mosquito-spraying bazookas will increase from 450 to 750, and some 1,500 vector control workers will be deployed in the next two weeks.
14ymedio, Havana, 16 November 2025 — Authorities in Havana—which is celebrating its 506th anniversary this week—are attempting to contain a growing health crisis with measures that, rather than being well-planned, seem desperate. This Saturday the government announced the hiring of 600 street sweepers, the accelerated collection of solid waste, and the cleaning of cemeteries as part of a plan to “address the accumulated problems” in the capital, where the proliferation of mosquitoes and overflowing garbage dumps threatens to worsen the epidemics of dengue, chikungunya, and other diseases.
It was in Matanzas—in mid-September—where the alarms began to sound due to the increase in arboviruses. Within a few weeks, cases began to spread throughout the country, until health authorities acknowledged that at least 30% of the population had been infected at some point. What happened to cause the situation to spiral out of control? Dr. María Guadalupe Guzmán Tirado, director of the Research, Diagnosis, and Reference Center at the Pedro Kourí Institute (IPK), explained that one of the causes is the disastrous waste management.
The meeting this Saturday, led by Miguel Díaz-Canel along with members of the political and military leadership, reviewed what was presented as “progress” in the city’s sanitation efforts. According to official figures, more than 93,000 liters of fuel were used last week to transport 96,500 cubic meters of garbage, an efficiency the government considers “encouraging.” However, piles of waste remain visible in the streets of numerous Havana neighborhoods, and residents continue to complain that garbage trucks are conspicuously absent.
The so-called “revival of the street sweeper’s trade” includes the creation of 77 brigades, equipped with uniforms, repaired carts, and promises of food and protective gear. Authorities insist this effort aims to restore “social discipline” to a city where, faced with the collapse of public services, many residents are forced to dump their trash on any street corner.
Faced with the collapse of community services, many residents are forced to dump their garbage on any street corner.
During the meeting, sanctions were also discussed: over a thousand fines totaling half a million pesos, and the arrest of people collecting raw materials at trash dumps, who are even accused of “spreading epidemics.” At the same time, the demolition of shacks and informal collection points was announced in an attempt to “regain control” of the urban chaos spreading throughout the capital.
The cleaning offensive extends to cemeteries and funeral homes, with repair work in 22 of the 24 Havana funeral homes and sanitation work in 16 cemeteries, including those in Guanabacoa and Santiago de las Vegas.
In terms of health, the official plan calls for increasing the number of fumigation bazookas – the equipment used to disperse insecticide – from fewer than 450 to more than 750. In addition, 1,500 workers will be added to the vector control campaign in the next two weeks, with the aim of covering more than 80% of the premises in the capital.
Although the authorities claim that fever cases have decreased and medical screenings are increasing, the reality on the ground in the neighborhoods is far removed from the optimistic picture presented in the official media. Water shortages, prolonged power outages, and uncollected garbage continue to create the perfect breeding ground for mosquitoes and fuel the despair of Havana residents.
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