brutal recession

以前にも取り上げましたが、ベネズエラでは、干ばつによる電力不足で、4月から2ヶ月間、公務員の週休3日が発表されましたが、状況が深刻化しているため、今月26日に、少なくとも2週間、週休5日を発表しました。

Venezuela state employees to work two-day week to save energy

CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuela's socialist government ordered public workers on Tuesday to work a two-day week as an energy-saving measure in the crisis-hit South American OPEC country.

President Nicolas Maduro had already given most of Venezuela's 2.8 million state employees Fridays off during April and May to cut down on electricity consumption.

"From tomorrow, for at least two weeks, we are going to have Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays as non-working days for the public sector," Maduro said on his weekly television program.

Drought has reduced water levels at Venezuela's main dam and hydroelectric plant in Guri to near-critical levels. The dam provides for about two-thirds of the nation's energy needs.

Water shortages and electricity cuts have added to the hardships of Venezuela's 30 million people, already enduring a brutal recession, shortages of basics from milk to medicines, soaring prices, and long lines at shops.

Maduro, 53, who succeeded the late Hugo Chavez in 2013 and is facing an opposition push to remove him through a recall referendum, appealed for understanding and support.

"The Guri has virtually become a desert. With all these measures, we are going to save it," he said, adding that the daily drop in water level had slowed to 10 centimeters from 20.

以下略

http://mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSKCN0XN2YZ

今回取り上げるのは、"brutal recession"です。

なぜかポパイのBrutoを連想しましたが、"brutal"にはおなじみの「1.「(野獣のように)野蛮な ; 残酷な、残忍な、無慈悲な」」という意味があります（『ジーニアス英和辞典』(大修館)第4版）。

しかしそのほかに、「2.「(現象などが)厳しい、容赦ない」3.「(事実などが)冷厳な、(言うことが)あからさまな、率直な」という語義もあり、"with brutal honesty"では「ばか正直に」になるそうです。

"recession"は、当然「一時的不景気、景気後退、後退、退去」ですので、"brutal recession"で「厳しい景気後退(不況)」と解釈できます。

多くの人が食料不足や計画停電で悩まされています。早く普通の生活に戻れることを祈るばかりです。(Akim)