In Havana, Cuba, a serious garbage problem has emerged due to a fuel blockade. The lack of consistent trash collection has led to enormous piles of rubbish throughout the city. This issue highlights a growing crisis in the Cuban capital.

José Fernández Zaldívar, 79, earns about $9 a month by sweeping San Rafael Boulevard, a bustling pedestrian area. He collects trash using a cart as he navigates the walkway. However, when he returns home to Central Havana, he finds his front gate obstructed by trash.

“Sometimes the garbage overflows so much that it covers the entrance to my house, and I can’t get out,” Mr. Fernández explained. “I have to clear a path through.” The situation at his home illustrates a broader issue affecting many Havana residents.

The Cuban government reports a depletion of oil reserves, leaving insufficient gasoline to operate garbage trucks. This has resulted in rubbish heaps, some reaching four feet high and stretching for half a block, becoming common sights in the city. Residents have resorted to burning trash to manage the accumulating waste.

“There is too much trash,” Mr. Fernández remarked. “I don’t know where it comes from.” The ongoing problem, compounded by the fuel shortage, continues to challenge the daily lives of Havana’s inhabitants.