Twitter Returns Chavez to Venezuela's Reality

[Judi Lynn]

Twitter Returns Chavez to Venezuela's Reality
By Enrique Andres Pretel
June 2, 2010

CARACAS (Reuters) - Faithful followers of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez commonly defend any failures of his more than a decade in power by saying he must have been unknowingly misled by ministers and sycophants.

By contrast, critics in the opposition say the former paratrooper has lost touch with reality and the problems of ordinary Venezuelans from his lofty perch as leader of South America's biggest oil exporter.

And while Chavez may deny both theories, he does acknowledge having found an unexpected ally in Twitter -- a way to hear first-hand the requests, demands, complaints and denunciations of citizens in their tens of thousands, albeit summarized in 140 characters via the micro-blogging site.

"This telephone is close to melting. Now I am aware of many things going on here," Chavez said during a meeting with police officials, brandishing his Blackberry.

More:
http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=10806391

[flamingdem]

1. This is really interesting. A paradigm shift for leaders maybe nt