"This is a joke. If we’re living hand-to-mouth, how can we save food for the war?" wrote a Cuban social media user after the publication of an official guide with recommendations on how to prepare for a potential military attack by the United States.
This and other outraged messages reflect the confusion and unease felt by many Cubans following the guidelines released in recent days by Cuba’s Civil Defense, amid growing tension between Havana and Washington.
The "Family Guide for the Protection of the Population in the Event of Military Aggression" recommends packing a backpack with personal documents, a radio, a flashlight, matches, candles, a first-aid kit, food for three days, drinking water, personal hygiene items as well as medications for chronic illnesses. It also suggests identifying shelters that can be used in the event of an airstrike.
The publication of the guidelines comes at one of the most tense moments in decades for the already strained Cuban-US relations. In recent weeks, US president Donald Trump has repeatedly hinted at taking action against Cuba, going so far as to say that "Cuba is next."Drones for Cuba?
Tensions escalated further after the US media outlet Axios quoted intelligence sources as saying that Cuba had acquired more than 300 military drones and was evaluating possible scenarios for their use near the US base at Guantanamo.
