Venezuela cuts public sector work week due to drought

From Monday, public sector shifts will be cut to four-and-a-half hours in the mornings from 8:00 am and offices will operate on a three-day week. Citizens have also been urged to save power in their homes.

"As a result of the climate emergency that has led to rising temperatures worldwide, we are facing a climatological event that affects the water level of the reservoirs that generate electric energy in the Andean region," the government statement said.

Much of Venezuela's electricity is produced by hydroelectric plants.

Electricity rationing has been common in inland states for 15 years and there have been frequent lengthy blackouts since 2019, which the government has blamed on sabotage.