Chavezism escalates "battle of ideas" via Twitter

One year ago, on July 26, the supporters of Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez launched an offensive to train followers in the use of the Twitter micro-blog, which gathers in Venezuela more than three million users, most of them older than 18 years, the voting age.

The site containing the tools to disseminate the socialist ideology can be found at "Candangueando ando," (I keep battling) which forms part of the main site of ruling United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV).

Over the past three weeks, six posts have been added. They recommend applications helpful to improve the clout of pro-government Twitters; multiply the number of followers, and enhance the hashtags, among others. The purpose is to find a niche in the social network for the revolutionary offering of President Chávez.

One of the lately posts is entitled "Tools for the battle on the web."

"Monitor your influence at Twitter and better the impact of the battle on the web," is another appeal to use effective applications or tools.

The site "candangueando ando" provides its rationale with a "vision and mission." The mission is "to encourage the battle of ideas: socialism vs. capitalism, by using the cyberspace to discuss upon scientific, humanist, and revolutionary grounds the building of the new socialist society." And the vision is "to revolutionize the way of communication and political action to make leading and participatory democracy more effective on the web, thus helping to empower the people."

Is it effective?

Such a symbiosis between the 2.0 language and categories, such as "socialism" and "battle of ideas," are by no means contradictory for Iria Puyosa, a specialist in political communication.

To the expert's mind, no "Chavista appropriation of Twitter consistent with the investment made" has been recorded.

Puyosa asserts that government supporters are presently set to advertise the accomplishments of the @chavezcandanga account concerning popularity. "As part of logic of electoral marketing, its approach echoes on mass media, yet does not work on the web."

sdiaz@eluniversal.com