Current Time in Venezuela
Time culture in Venezuela
Time culture in Venezuela
Latin American time is deeply rooted
It is common in Venezuela to be late for an appointment, and in some cases it is considered polite to arrive late. In particular, at private gatherings and events, arriving at the start time may be considered "too early".
A relaxed sense of time throughout society
Even in public places, strictness about time is not seen very often. Queues, delays, and schedule changes occur frequently, so it is customary for local people to be flexible.
Life rhythm is relatively nocturnal
Dinner is generally after 8 p.m., and people are often out late at night. Although work and school start times are early in the morning, overall activity hours are shifted later.
Time values in Venezuela
Values on relationships over time
In Venezuela, building relationships with others is more important than the accuracy of promises. They are often engrossed in their conversations, and deepening the conversation takes priority over finishing on time.
Flexible Schedules
"Taking time" and "not rushing" are deeply rooted in the culture, and people are rarely criticized for being late, and are even considered to be "natural" to be late.
Uncertain social conditions affect sense of time
Due to political and economic instability, it can be difficult for public services to operate on time. Therefore, people are accustomed to flexibly adjusting their behavior according to the situation.
Things foreigners should know about time when traveling or moving to Venezuela
Delays in buses and services are commonplace
Intercity buses, local transportation, stores and government offices often do not proceed as scheduled, and long wait times can occur, so a flexible schedule is necessary.
Punctuality is important in business and diplomatic situations
When dealing with foreign companies and international organizations, you are often expected to be on time, so it is important to use different senses of time depending on the context.
Be careful when going out after sunset for safety reasons
While there is a culture of being active at night, you should be careful about going out after dark due to security risks. It is best to plan your activities mainly during the day.
Interesting trivia about time in Venezuela
History of change from UTC-4:30 to UTC-4
Venezuela once had an unusual time zone of UTC-4:30, but changed to UTC-4 in 2016. This change was part of a response to a power shortage.
Daylight saving time is not implemented
Standard time (UTC-4) is used throughout the year, and there are no seasonal time changes. This keeps the annual rhythm of life relatively consistent.
"Being late is normal" in Caracas
In the capital, Caracas, the term "Caracas time" is used, and in some cases it is considered normal to arrive 30 minutes to an hour late. This is accepted as a kind of humor.