Cuba has entered a state of emergency called "option zero" to cope with a deep fuel shortage, a crisis caused by the interruption of supplies from Venezuela and Mexico following pressure from the United States.
President Miguel Díaz-Canel announced that the government will take drastic measures to save oil and energy, guaranteeing the minimum functioning of the country and maintaining the most important activities for the economy. Such measures include reducing the work and school week to four days to reduce fuel consumption, limiting bus and train transportation between cities, postponing or canceling non-urgent surgeries in hospitals, and closing some hotels and tourist resorts.
The sale of gasoline and diesel is limited and will be used mainly for food production, electricity supply and activities that bring income from abroad. This situation has caused great concern for the population and the economy, as Cuba imports about two-thirds of the energy it needs, while tourism, an important source of foreign currency, has fallen sharply, leading to the closure of tourist structures and job losses.
The government has announced that it is ready to dialogue with the United States, but only if pressure is not exerted on the country, while humanitarian organizations warn of the risk of a humanitarian crisis that could affect food supplies and basic services for citizens.
With this decision, a vital plan for the country's survival is made, aiming to maintain the functioning of essential services and the country's stability, although at a high cost to the daily lives of Cubans and the economy as a whole.
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