Venezuela’s socialist government has ordered public workers to do a two-day week, in a bid to save energy. President Nicolas Maduro had already
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Venezuela’s socialist government has ordered public workers to do a two-day week, in a bid to save energy.
President Nicolas Maduro had already given most of the country’s state employees Fridays off during April and May – to slash electricity consumption.
Model employees? Venezuela gave workers Fridays off to save energy, but some are secretly working anyway https://t.co/VFxVJPUWN9
— Hannah Dreier (@hannahdreier) 22 April 2016
Drought-hit dam
Water levels are down to critical levels at Venezuela’s main dam and hydroelectric plant in Guri because of drought.
The dam provides for about two-thirds of energy needs.
#Drought-hit #Venezuela awaits rain at crucial #Guri hydropower dam https://t.co/tr9zFwWocy By
reuterspictures</a> <a href="https://t.co/GxdeN8JFt5">pic.twitter.com/GxdeN8JFt5</a></p>— alertnetclimate (alertnetclimate) 14 April 2016
Socialism (n): The condition that leads a country floating on a sea of oil to run out of energy. https://t.co/YqSg5jFGl2
— Mark Krikorian (@MarkSKrikorian) 26 April 2016
Maduro under pressure
Meanwhile, amid a deepening economic crisis, Maduro is coming under mounting pressure.
Opposition leaders are starting the process of seeking a referendum to remove him.
“The Venezuelan people want to change the government but we want to do it peacefully and for peace,” said Jesus Torrealba, Secretary of the Opposition Coalition.
“This is why we have these forms to collect 195,000 signatures, which is the one percent that will then allow us to collect the 20 percent of signatures needed, that is to say four million signatures. We’re sure that we’re going to do this in record time.”
Primer paso en Venezuela hacia un referéndum contra Maduro https://t.co/QKIsYNqa1w pic.twitter.com/a1K96JtXxm
— EL MUNDO (@elmundoes) 26 April 2016
Triple-digit inflation, Soviet-style production shortages and a severe recession are stacking the odds against Maduro.
The opposition is also on a high, after sealing success in legislative elections last year.