Vacation Periods for Latin American Congressmen

The end of the year is coming and the holidays are also here. For example, legislative bodies around the world have recess seasons. This is the vacation time of Latin American congressmen in periods of their ordinary sessions, according to data from the National Library of Congress of Chile.

Although according to the constitutions, the periods are ordinary, almost all have the possibility of extending the working hours through extraordinary sessions or out of time.

Mexico

In Mexico there are two vacation periods, the first goes from December 16 to January 31, while the second goes from May 1 to August 31. This gives a total of 199 vacation days in years when there are no federal elections. But when the President of the Republic begins his mandate, the legislative vacations are shortened by 30 days, giving a total of 169.

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Argentina

In Argentina, the constitution recognizes a period of rest between March 1 and November 30. This accumulates 92 days of the vacation period.

Guatemala

The regular session period in Guatemala begins on January 14 and runs until May 15, restarting from August 1 to November 30. This leaves a vacation period of approximately 121 days.

Colombia

The first session will begin on July 20 and end on December 16; the second on March 16 and will conclude on June 20. This leaves a total of 91 days of rest at the end and beginning of the year and 30 days of vacation in between. This gives a total of 121 days. Recently, an attempt was made to reduce the vacation period by 30 days and for the second period to start on February 16 and not March, but this bill was not approved before the congressional vacation and failed.

Paraguay

In the Guaraní country, the full congress begins sessions from July 1 to June 30. The recess periods are from December 21 to March 1. Thus, the rest period is approximately 71 days.

Bolivia

The Plurinational State of Bolivia only has 30 days of rest divided in half in the middle and at the end of the year.

Venezuela

According to the 2009 constitution, in Venezuela, the first session begins on January 5 and ends on August 15. The second period runs from September 15 to December 15. This leaves 51 days of vacation for Venezuelan deputies.

Panama

Legislatures run from July 1 to October 31 and from January 2 to April 30. This indicates that the days in which there are no ordinary sessions is 123 days. But as in most countries, you can call extraordinary sessions that will take place during the holiday period.

Honduras

In the Central American country, the congress runs from January 25 to October 31 in a continuous manner. The vacation period for Honduran congressmen is approximately 86 days.

Uruguay

In the South American country, the sessions begin on March 1 and run until December 15 in years in which there are no elections. This leaves Uruguayan parliamentarians with approximately 77 days of vacation.