In an attempt to provide more daylight for school children and thumb their noses at most of the world’s hourly schedule, Venezuelans roll their clocks back 30 minutes the morning of Dec. 9th.

Travelers flying to, from or through Venezuela should be alerted that the country now will have its own time zone, VET, -4:30 GMT. Airlines will undoubtedly make the necessary changes, but we advise any travelers to confirm all reservation times, with an emphasis on making connections.

Left-wing President Hugo Chavez, who has changed the name of the country, the flag and its coat of arms, and recently made an unsuccessful bid to be president-elect-forever-more, says the time-zone change provides  "more fair distribution of the sunrise."