Natalia Valdivieso, 19, posted celebratory messages on her Twitter account as she received her home, one of them reading: “Thank you my home is very beautiful!” She said there were about 200 families receiving public housing in her area on Margarita Island. Chavez congratulated Valdivieso in a message when he said she had become his three millionth follower. His regional campaign manager, Carlos Mata Figueroa, announced later that she would receive the home. Chavez’s government has been building new public housing complexes ahead of the country’s October 7 presidential election. Valdivieso called Chavez “the best president” and gushed: “I woke up knowing that is the happiest day of my life! The giveaway also sparked criticism from some, and jokes by others. Government critic Gustavo Coronel wrote on his blog that it was “intolerable” for Chavez to have rewarded someone in such a way simply for being a supporter. He noted the home was built with government money, not Chavez’s money, and asked how the president dared to dole it out on the basis of political support.
