Venezuela’s interim president, Delcy Rodriguez, has decreed a mandatory week-long holiday for public-sector and education workers as the nation grapples with a severe energy crisis intensified by a prolonged heatwave.

The emergency measure, described as a "power-saving plan," will see schools and government ministries closed from Monday through Friday during the upcoming Holy Week.

The announcement follows what Rodriguez described as "45 days of high temperatures" that have strained the country’s already fragile power grid.

"During this Holy Week, I want to announce that I have decreed days off... for the entire education sector," Rodriguez stated during the announcement.

She added that ministries must also take time off to comply with the energy conservation efforts, though she clarified that essential services would remain unaffected by the order.

Venezuela has a history of rationing electricity, frequently shortening workdays or suspending classes during Easter periods to mitigate shortages.

However, the current energy woes come during a period of significant political transition; Rodriguez assumed leadership after former President Nicolas Maduro was seized by the US military on January 3.

Source: AFP