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The Government of Havana described as "fake news" a supposed statement circulating on social media that warned of the imminent activation of the so-called "Option Zero" in light of an alleged energy collapse in Cuba.
Through a post on their official Facebook page, the authorities labeled the information as false and denied the authenticity of the statement attributed to the National Staff of Civil Defense.
The text circulating on social media claimed that the country was on the verge of an energy collapse due to the depletion of fuel reserves and warned that the reserves could be exhausted "irreversibly" over the weekend.
It also mentioned a 98% probability of scenario activation and urged the population to prepare for an almost complete transportation shutdown, severe power outages, disruptions to water supply, and communication issues.
The alleged statement also included a series of guidelines directed at Cuban families, such as storing water, rationing food, and preparing for extended periods without electricity.
The reaction from the Havana government came after the document went viral on social media, generating numerous responses among users, many of whom expressed skepticism towards the official denial or pointed out that the situation described in the text resembles the conditions they already face in their daily lives.
The comments accompanying the official publication also reflect the deep deterioration of credibility in government communication among many citizens.
Numerous users reacted with irony or skepticism to the denial, recalling previous episodes in which authorities denied information that later turned out to be true.
Some pointed out that, although the document may be fake, the situation it describes is too similar to the reality many areas of the country are currently experiencing, with power outages lasting over 20 hours, lack of water, and serious transportation difficulties.
Others claimed that the issue is not only the veracity of the statement but also the accumulated distrust towards official information, in a context where large segments of the population feel that the energy crisis has already led the country to a kind of "de facto zero option."
The concept of "Zero Option" carries a significant historical weight in Cuba. It was a contingency plan designed during the Special Period of the 1990s, following the collapse of the Soviet Union, to address an extreme scenario of "zero oil" and an almost complete breakdown of fuel supply.
In practice, that scenario involved severe rationing, a halt to motorized transportation, the use of alternative means such as bicycles or animal traction, and a reorganization of economic life with minimal resources.
Therefore, whenever the term reappears in public debate, it is often associated with the possibility of a deep energy crisis, characterized by prolonged blackouts, food shortages, and severe difficulties in the functioning of the economy.
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