More Power Outages Force Venezuela to Cut Work Hours, School Day

HAVANA TIMES – The Venezuelan government has reduced citizens’ working hours for three days this week to cut electricity consumption amid ongoing power outages, reports dpa news.

Venezuelans will only work until 2 pm from Monday to Wednesday this week, Information Minister Jorge Rodriguez announced early on Monday. The working day usually starts at 8 am.

Schools will be open from 7 am and close by noon, Rodriguez said.

What will happen after Wednesday remains to be seen.

The minister attributed the electric power problems to “the terrorist attack.”

The government blames the country’s crippling power cuts on sabotage by the opposition and the United States, while the opposition attributes them to poor maintenance of the electricity network.

A massive blackout left much of the country in the dark for nearly a week in March, creating water shortages and causing deaths at hospitals. Numerous power cuts have occurred since then throughout most of the country.

President Nicolas Maduro is engaged in a power struggle with opposition leader Juan Guaido, whom more than 50 countries have recognized as Venezuela’s interim president.

Maduro, his close associates and the state oil industry are under crippling sanctions by the United States, however Russia has come to the rescue with both financial and military assistance.

While also receiving financial aid from his largest creditor, China, based on the country’s oil and mineral reserves, Maduro is confident he can weather the storm and remain in power until at least 2026, as the country falls deeper and deeper into depression with mass emigration on a daily basis.