The Cuban Civil Defense has recently released a “family guide” to protect against a possible American attack, according to several provincial official sites, amid high tensions with the United States.
The document, not nationally covered by state media, comes at a time when the relationship between the two ideological enemies is strained. The United States has imposed an energy blockade on the communist island, citing a supposed “extraordinary threat” posed by Cuba to American national security.
Last Thursday, CIA Director John Ratcliffe visited Havana for a special meeting with top Cuban officials, as the two countries have been in difficult negotiations for several months.
The document, issued by Civil Defense and aimed at “all Cuban families,” provides practical information to “protect life from possible enemy attacks,” according to a statement released on the “Citizen Portal (of the province) of Havana” on Friday. The provincial radio of Santi Spiritus, a central province, also shared this information on its website, offering the document for download.
Titled “protect, resist, survive, and triumph,” the document offers recommendations such as preparing a “backpack for the family with drinking water, food, medications, and hygiene products,” as well as being alert to “air raid signals.” It stresses the importance of knowing “first aid care” and staying informed through local defense advice.
The discreet dissemination of the document coincides with Cuba’s struggle as the 9.6 million population faces an unprecedented socio-economic crisis, with limited access to essential goods and products. The country’s electrical network is also in critical condition, with no reserves of diesel or fuel, leading to frequent power cuts and recent protests in various neighborhoods of Havana.
