MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Senator wants Paraguay to revert to winter time (GMT -4)

“We need to correct this,” Ovelar insisted

Paraguayan Senator Blanca Ovelar plans to introduce a bill to revert the country's time zone to GMT-4 year-round from the current permanent summer time (GMT-3) adopted recently.

Ovelar argues that the summer time is harmful, forcing students, teachers, and workers to start their day in darkness, which disrupts natural circadian rhythms.

She claims that winter time aligns better with Paraguay’s geographical meridian and aims to correct the “legislative mistake” of the law currently in force.

The proposal seeks to implement the change immediately after enactment. The issue has sparked debate, with some advocating for staggered schedules for public officials and students as an alternative solution.

Ovelar, of the ruling ANR Colorado Party, insisted the current shift was a legislative mistake.

See also: Paraguay adopting Summer time, probably for good

The measure had negative consequences for the population, she further argued, claiming that many fellow lawmakers had asked her to lead the initiative. “It is a sacrifice to force children to wake up before dawn,” she underlined.

“We will propose to modify the current law, establishing that the time zone will be GMT-4 and that the change will come into effect the day after its enactment. We need to correct this because we are sacrificing too many people,” Ovelar stressed.

Last March 23, some cell phones and other electronic devices automatically went back to GMT-4, as they were set to do on the fourth Sunday of March every year. However, as shorter days and longer nights set in, Paraguay's education sector raised its voice against the new time zone.

“The bulk of the student population is in the morning shift,” Ovelar noted. The idea is to keep the wintertime (GMT -4) all year round before the coldest weather arrives. “Because we have a little more sunlight in the afternoon, we cannot rest everything. The circadian rhythm is a medical concept that means that the body goes into rest in the dark, and with light certain hormones are activated that move us to wake up. We have to understand that we have to return to our Paraguayan time,” Ovelar went on.