The strategy includes immediate measures to decrease public spending and fuel use, in a context marked by a rising oil import bill and difficulties in stabilizing the balance of payments.

According to the Ministry of Finance, the program includes a series of restrictions designed to reduce electricity consumption and prioritize essential imports.

Among the measures adopted is the mandatory closure of shopping malls and markets at 8:30 p.m. local time with the goal of reducing national electricity consumption by approximately 15 percent.

The plan also stipulates that 50 percent of non-essential government personnel must work from home, a measure aimed at reducing fuel expenditures associated with daily commuting.

Furthermore, authorities tightened controls on letters of credit used for imports, limiting them to products considered priorities such as food, medicine, and energy.

Spokespeople for the Ministry of Finance indicated that the immediate objective of these actions is to protect international reserves and prevent further deterioration of the country’s financial stability.

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