Chávez creates government program to deal with Twitter messages

Caracas - Overwhelmed by about 50.000 messages since he decided to use Twitter to enhance his way of communication with followers and to answer criticisms from foes, Hugo Chavez hired 200 assistants to deal with the avalanche of twits.

The Venezuelan president, with over 245.000 followers, has become Twitter "número uno" user in Venezuela after recently surpassing Globovisión, the opposition Venezuelan news TV station. Chávez used to refer to Twitter as “a tool of terror”. Now he has modified his definition by calling the message service “a weapon that also needs to be used by the revolution.” In his Twitter account Chávez identifies himself with his full name Hugo Chávez Frías and a short bio in Spanish that reads (in translation): “President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. Bolivarian Soldier, Socialist and Anti-Imperialist”. Chavez account @Chavezcandanga, gets about 18% grievances and hostile messages, which he still deems must be answered. “I send jokes to some of them" Chavez said. "That makes me laugh", he added. The president is having a hard time dealing with the high number of contacts from both friends and opponents. To solve the problem he has established a new government unit of 200 aides which he calls the “Chavezcandanga Mission”.