On Tuesday, independent journalist Yosmany Mayeta Labrada shared photos revealing numerous volumes of the complete works of José Martí abandoned in a garbage dump in Santiago de Cuba. According to the respected activist's post on social media platform Facebook, one of his followers sent him images of the books lying outside a junior high school in the Reparto Sueño neighborhood.
The message noted that students walk past the discarded books daily without any action being taken. The school is situated on Calle 6, between E and G streets, in close proximity to the Faculty of Medical Sciences #1.
A City Struggling with Waste Management
Just a couple of weeks ago, a garbage pile caught fire near the "La Plaza" market on Aguilera Street in Santiago de Cuba, a city grappling with a severe waste management crisis. This incident is part of a series of fires set by local residents who, frustrated by the province's inadequate trash collection services, have resorted to burning garbage dumps in a desperate attempt to deal with the situation, as reported by Mayeta himself.
Symbolic Discarding of Propaganda
Back in April, a social media user shared a photo taken in front of the Museum of the Revolution (formerly Cuba's Presidential Palace), depicting a poster of the late dictator Fidel Castro discarded next to a trash container. The content creator, identified as Luis Luisovich Jañez on Facebook, captured the stark contrast between the location of the propaganda poster (in the trash) and the Museum of the Revolution, which was led by Castro.
Historical Memorabilia Left Behind
In 2021, another photograph gained attention online, showing two old membership cards of the Union of Young Communists (UJC) thrown away on the street amidst piles of old papers. Facebook user Guille Oscariz shared this image on his profile, highlighting a recurring theme of neglect and abandonment of historical and propagandistic items in public spaces.