MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Winter time in Chile: clocks 60 minutes back

At one o'clock Sunday, March 10th, Chileans will have to set clocks sixty minutes back officially signaling the beginning of winter time.

Chilean Minister of Interior Belisario Velasco confirmed the decision in spite of requests from members of Congress for a three weeks postponement given the current chaos generated by the new surface transport system in the capital Santiago which at times has left the city in a complete collapse. In the poor areas of Santiago commuters furious with delays and canceling of bus services have begun stoning buses and attacking personnel. Chile has a summer and a winter time since 1970 when a serious drought forced the government of the time to make the most of daylight to save energy. The system has only been delayed on three occasions, when the visit of Pope John Paul II in 1987 and in 1990 and 1999 following serious energy crisis. With the sun going down sixty minutes earlier Minister Velasco promised additional patrolling to guarantee the security of commuters who make use of the new (frustrating) Transantiago transport system. Winter time in Chile lasts until the second Saturday of October. During that period Chilean local time is four hours behind GMT