It is not a street sculpture by Kcho or by Alberto Lescay. Neither is a poorly located flowerbed, a dry plant or a fallen post. The small trunk that rises, between leaves of guano and garbage bags, in the middle of Santa Ana street, in Nuevo Vedado, is the sign that underneath all the fanfare there is a pothole.
A deep pothole, it is worth clarifying, that from so much wear and tear on the asphalt – it has been several years now, according to the neighbors – it absorbs as much debris and dirt as possible. Those who live in Santa Ana have taken a “provisional” measure: mark the hole so that the drivers who, every day, park their cars on the road do not trip over it.
Nor is it just any street: a few meters from the “monument” is the Ministry of Agriculture, a 17-story mass that has always provoked the ridicule of Havanans: its size, it is said, is inversely proportional to the productivity of the land.
As long as it is not decided which official instance is responsible for the repair, the pothole will continue to gain ground, consistency and, why not, prestige as a work of art
Other ministerial buildings are located in Nuevo Vedado, as well as some official organizations, such as the headquarters of Panataxi, the fleet of “yellows” destined to transport tourists from the José Martí International Airport to Havana. The officials have their official parking lots, but they prefer Santa Ana because it is a street with trees, and because in these months, the hottest ones, having the car in the shade is essential so that, when returning, the vehicle has not become a a little hell
Every morning, the drivers look for a free space trying not to collide with the “warning”, which every day brings together more and more waste. Not even the sporadic visits by Miguel Díaz-Canel and other senior officials to the ministries have been sufficient motivation for the Minister of Agriculture or the director of Panataxi to declare war on the hole.
As long as it is not decided which official instance is responsible for the repair, the pothole will continue to gain ground, consistency and, why not, prestige as a work of art.
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