Overview
- Economy Minister Elmer Cuba announced on Friday that the government proposes moving most national public holidays to a single weekday to generate predictable long weekends.
- The plan would keep the same total number of holidays and exclude Fiestas Patrias (28–29 July), Christmas and New Year from any change.
- Officials say the intention is to apply the new scheme for the 2027 calendar but no formal calendar, legal measure or implementation steps have been published.
- Reporting shows a public inconsistency over which weekday would be used after Cuba first cited Fridays and later suggested Mondays, leaving the weekday choice unresolved.
- The government frames the change as a way to boost domestic tourism, help hotels and transport firms plan, and reduce midweek productivity losses, but the measure will need stakeholder talks with unions, the Labor Ministry and tourism businesses before it can be enacted.