The sweet socialist miracle continues to transform Venezuela into an economic powerhouse destined to show the capitalist world the error of its ways. Of course, they’ll be showing the world those errors by candlelight. Last week the government announced 40 days of rolling blackouts. From CNN Money:

Government officials announced Thursday that they would begin rolling blackouts for 40 days in cities across Venezuela, starting next week. The move will help save power at a time when water levels at the country’s main electric dam are at record lows…

Power will go out for four hours per day for 40 days. The country’s electricity minister, Luis Motta Dominguez, said the blackouts could continue beyond 40 days if water levels at the El Guri dam, which provides about 75% of the country’s electricity, keep falling to record lows.

Apparently rolling blackouts are not enough because Tuesday night President Nicolas Maduro announced a two-day work week for all government workers (about 20% of the workforce). Maduro had already given workers every Friday off earlier this month.

CNN Money reports it’s not yet clear if the workers will be paid for a full week or just for the two days they are allowed to work. I don’t know either but the right answer from a socialist perspective would be to pay them in full. After all, those employees have the same needs whether they are working or not.

Meanwhile, Venezuela continues to endure the 2nd highest murder rate in the world, triple-digit inflation, a lack of basic food staples and necessities like milk and toilet paper, a collapsing health care system and of course the fact their government jails political opposition on whatever pretext is at hand. Apparently that’s not enough sacrifice on the altar of socialism. Maduro and the socialist dead-enders that still support him will ride the collapse down into literal darkness if necessary, still clinging to the system that has devastated their country.

The ruling socialist party suffered a massive defeat in the elections which took place in December but the outgoing members of the Assembly stacked the country’s supreme court with Maduro cronies who have blocked most reforms proposed by the newly elected members.