Venezuela adopts four-day working week in bid to save energy
Government is adopting the measures in response to low water levels in the Guri Dam
Amid worsening power outages, Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro has introduced a four-day week for government employees until May. The administration had already closed government offices during Easter week in an attempt to reduce energy costs by 60%.
“Tomorrow the special decree establishing all Fridays as non-working days during April and May, beginning this week, will appear in the Official Gazette,” the Venezuelan head of state said.
The government is adopting the measures in response to low water levels in the Guri Dam, which supplies around a third of the country’s electricity
El Nacional newspaper reported that federal, state and local offices will follow the directive. Maduro said the government is adopting the measures in response to low water levels in the Guri Dam, which supplies around a third of the country’s electricity.
Opposition leader Henrique Capriles, governor of Miranda state, responded to the initiative by tweeting: “Maduro has never worked, so it’s normal for him to decree non-working days. Once again, he’s showing his inability to govern.”
English version by Dyane Jean François.
