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| Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez delivers a speech during a gathering of foreign diplomats in Caracas, March 5, 2004. (AFP Photo/Presidencia) |
Caracas,
Venezuela. Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is using Twitter as a tool to
govern remotely while he undergoes cancer treatment in Cuba.
In more
than 40 messages this week on his "chavezcandanga" account, he has
approved money for a Caracas trash collection project, praised plans for a new
park and cheered on the national soccer team.
Chavez
hasn't mentioned anything about his chemotherapy but has alluded to his
personal battle time and again, as he did in one tweet to a supporter on
Tuesday: "We're moving along here, brother! With God and the Virgin!"
Most of his
messages have had the tone of a patriotic father figure connecting with his public.
Chavez boasts more than 1.8 million followers, and his messages also regularly
pop up on the screen on state television in Venezuela.
A leader
who knows well how to choose his sound bites, Chavez has used Twitter to remain
in the news at home even as he is out-of-pocket and not making his usual
appearances on television.
He did just
that Thursday morning in a flurry of messages when he complained about a
referee's call during Venezuela's soccer match against Paraguay at the Copa
America tournament in Argentina. Chavez said he had been watching alongside
Fidel Castro, and they both agreed it was a bad call.
"In my
modest opinion... THEY ROBBED US OF THE VICTORY GOAL! And I hope that with this
I'm not offending anybody!" one of the messages said.
Chavez then
turned to plans to create a park named after Simon Bolivar in a portion of a
military airfield: "Bolivar Park is a true gift of the Bolivarian
Revolution for our beautiful Caracas!!"
Seven hours
later, Chavez was back saying he had met with Fidel and Raul Castro, along with
Ecuador's president, Rafael Correa. "What a beautiful meeting we've had
this afternoon," the message said, adding they finished by singing the
Venezuelan song "Alma Llanera."
In messages
earlier in the week, Chavez greeted Cabinet ministers and touted a public
housing construction program. He said he had approved the equivalent of more
than $25 million for a new trash-collection company in Caracas, $51 million for
a state government and $37 million for the organization Frente Francisco de
Miranda, which promotes efforts to transform Venezuela into a socialist state.
Turning to
international affairs, Chavez directed a message to Mexican leader Felipe
Calderon, saying: "Hey President Calderon, my friend, I thank you for your
good wishes."
The
56-year-old Chavez underwent surgery in Cuba on June 20 to remove a cancerous
tumor. He hasn't said what type of cancer has been diagnosed or specified where
exactly it was located, saying only that it was in his pelvic region. He says
chemotherapy is necessary to ensure cancer cells don't reappear.
On Twitter,
his only references to his treatment have been vague and filled with optimistic
slogans.
As he
signed off one night, the message read: "From here, closing another day of
this Battle for Life."
AP
" .... Soon the one dictator will be gone, and the unification can begin.."
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