Venezuela bans billboard lighting during crisis

It's the latest measure aimed at reducing power consumption, which has become a top priority for President Hugo Chavez.

Chavez blames the shortages on a months-long drought attributed to changed weather patterns due to the El Nino phenomenon in the Pacific.

Water levels have fallen to critical lows behind the Guri Dam, which supplies roughly 70 percent of Venezuela's electricity.

Government opponents accuse Chavez of failing to invest enough in electrical projects to meet growing demand over the last decade.