Paraguay Congress Approves Permanent DST
By Konstantin Bikos and Mathew Gundersen. Published 25-Sep-2024. Changed 15-Oct-2024
If approved by the president, the bill would abolish clock changes from 2025 onward, putting the South American country on all-year “summer time.”
UPDATE:
On October 11, President Santiago Peña approved the law abolishing clock changes in Paraguay. It was officially published on October 14.
Paraguay started DST on Sunday, October 6, 2024, and will now stay at UTC−3 for the foreseeable future.
The final decision about the DST bill will be made here, at the Presidential Palace in Paraguay’s capital, Asunción.
©iStockphoto.com/Opla
Not Signed into Law Yet
Paraguay is on the brink of abolishing seasonal clock changes and permanently following Daylight Saving Time (DST).
According to media reports, Paraguay’s Congress approved the bill on September 24, 2024. However, it still requires President Santiago Peña’s signature to become effective.
While the president will have the final word, the idea of permanent DST has recently gained considerable traction in Paraguay, leading many to expect the bill to be swiftly signed into law.
“Our intention is to improve the quality of life of Paraguayans and, in that sense, to enable them to make better use of sunlight, which is synonymous with health and promotes safety conditions.”
October 6 Switch May Be the Last
The Republic of Paraguay, a landlocked nation in South America, observes DST from the first Sunday in October until the fourth Sunday in March. (As a Southern Hemisphere nation, its seasons—and DST regime—are the opposite of those north of the equator.)
At the moment, Paraguayans are observing standard time, or “winter time,” which is four hours behind Coordinated Universal Time (UTC−4). On October 6, 2024, clocks will be turned one hour ahead to UTC−3 to start this year’s DST, or “summer time,” period.
If the bill is signed into law, the October 6 clock change will be the country’s last, and Paraguayans will remain on UTC−3 indefinitely.
However, if the president vetoes the bill, the country will return to UTC−4 on March 23, 2025.
Hate clock changes? This expert disagrees
Meanwhile, Brazil May Do the Opposite
While Paraguay is poised to do away with clock changes, its northern neighbor, Brazil, is considering reinstating them.
Although the initiative will have to pass several legislative hurdles before it can take effect, the idea of bringing back DST has recently gained significant momentum.
Brazil last observed DST in 2019 when it was abolished under former president Jair Bolsonaro.
We will follow both these stories and publish updates as events unfold.