Social networks, widely used by Assembly members of Alianza Pais

Image: Expreso

The legislative bloc of the ruling party, Alianza Pais, responds to the opposition via Twitter, Facebook and WhatsApp, but also broadcasts, reports, positions or is accountable to the public, explained the assemblymen Fausto Cayambe and Bairon Valle.

The first has 3,000 followers in Twitter, 15,000 in Facebook and 5000 in a Fan Page. “We approach the citizens and hold accountable of our activities and work. It’s a direct communication with our constituents. But Facebook is more gossipy,” Cayambe said.

The second one has 14,000 followers in Twitter and 15,000 in Facebook. “It’s very important to communicate to the public what we do and discuss. What they tell us is also a thermometer for us,” said Valle.

But, according to the Legislative Observatory, only six of 137 Assembly members exchanged comments on Twitter in 2014.

For PAIS, the use of these alternative channels of communication is a cultural explanation: not all officials report through these channels. The citizenship follows more traditional media like television, radio and newspapers they said. “In these eight years technology, infrastructure and access to these services have improved,” said Cayambe.

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