The Cuban government promises to take action against those responsible for spreading false reports about the break of the dam in San Antonio del Sur.

The Cuban government, through its National Defense Council, announced that it will proceed with the investigation and prosecution of those responsible for spreading false news about the breaking of the dam curtains in San Antonio del Sur, Guantánamo.

Disinformation, which created panic among the local residents—already psychologically affected by the devastation of Hurricane Oscar over the weekend—circulated this Friday, prompting alarm among the inhabitants of the area.

San Antonio del Sur has reported the deaths of six residents so far, along with significant material losses due to Hurricane Oscar, which was a Category 1 storm. The hurricane caused flooding and structural damage in the eastern region of Cuba, further exacerbated by a widespread blackout that hindered communication and information during the emergency.

In videos shared by the official journalist Miguel Noticias on Facebook this Friday, it was seen how people left their homes and took to the streets, pushing the elderly in wheelchairs and running in search of shelter or climbing onto trucks to get away from the area. The confusion also affected essential services and workers from other provinces who were trying to evacuate the area.

The president of the Provincial Defense Council, Yoel García, denied the rumors, labeling them as "fake news." “We want to inform the public, especially the residents of San Antonio del Sur and Guantánamo, that the alleged collapse of the dam curtain is completely false. This misinformation has been spread by ill-intentioned individuals, causing panic in a community already affected by the aftermath of the hurricane. We reiterate that there is no risk associated with the dam," the official stated.

For his part, the Guantanamo visual artist Daniel Ross Diéguez described on a Facebook Live how he experienced the moment. "Many trucks started turning around, in a hurry, signaling. That was the first warning. Cars from ETECSA, from churches, workers from other provinces, even from embassies, perhaps. I remember a jeep filled with several people coming, and that’s when we started to get worried. The cars were overflowing. We understood that something bad had happened. Until a car stopped that was carrying quite a few people and gave us the news."

Situations like this, Ross Diéguez points out, could have been avoided through an early warning system, using a communicator. In this way, he adds, the population in San Antonio del Sur could have been alerted.