Cuba issues a family protection guide in anticipation of a possible US attack

In a move reflecting the heightened tensions between Cuba and the United States, Cuba's Civil Defense Agency recently released an official document titled "Family Guide," aimed at instructing citizens on how to protect themselves and survive in the event of a potential US military attack. This document was published on several government websites in Cuban provinces, at a time of escalating tensions and difficult negotiations between Havana and Washington.

The historical context of US-Cuban tensions

This development cannot be understood in isolation from the complex historical background that binds the two countries. Since the success of the Cuban Revolution in 1959, relations between Washington and Havana have been characterized by deep ideological and political hostility. These tensions reached their peak during the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962 and the Bay of Pigs invasion, during which the island of Cuba lived for decades under the constant threat and economic embargo imposed by the United States. This historical legacy makes the publication of civil defense manuals a familiar practice in the Cuban collective memory, though less common in recent years, and serves to remind new generations of the need for constant preparedness.

Details of the document “Protect, Resist, Survive, and Overcome”

The Cuban Civil Defense Agency has prepared this multi-page document as a practical guide for all Cuban families. Titled “Protect, Resist, Survive, and Overcome,” the document provides detailed instructions on how to protect lives in the face of potential enemy attacks. Recommendations include preparing a “family backpack” containing essential items such as drinking water, food, medicine, and personal hygiene products. The document also addresses how to respond to air strike alerts, encourages citizens to learn basic first aid, and emphasizes the importance of staying informed through local defense councils.

A severe economic and social crisis is hitting Cuba

The publication of this guide comes at a critical time, as the island of Cuba, with its population of approximately 9.6 million, is experiencing an unprecedented social and economic crisis. Many citizens lack even the most basic necessities, and the national electricity grid is on the verge of collapse due to dwindling fuel and diesel reserves. Frequent and prolonged power outages have sparked a wave of popular protests in several neighborhoods of the capital, Havana, in recent days. In this context, the United States maintains a strict embargo on fuel supplies to Cuba, justifying it by claiming that the Cuban regime poses an “extraordinary threat” to US national security.

Despite this escalation, the past few days have witnessed rare diplomatic and intelligence moves, with extraordinary meetings held between high-level American officials and Cuban leaders in Havana, in an attempt to manage the crisis amid the two countries' engagement in talks described as difficult and complex for months.

Expected impact of the event locally and regionally

Domestically, this evidence is expected to heighten the sense of anticipation and anxiety among Cubans, and observers may see it as an attempt by the government to unify the domestic front and divert attention from external threats amid worsening living conditions. Regionally, the escalating tension between Cuba and the United States casts a shadow over the stability of the Caribbean and Latin America, potentially prompting neighboring countries to call for de-escalation and avoid further escalation. Internationally, this event places US sanctions policies under intense scrutiny from the international community, which has long criticized the economic embargo imposed on Havana and its direct impact on innocent civilians.