For most Venezuelans, obtaining U.S. dollars in a tightly regulated economy is a nightmare.

But not for President Hugo Chavez's 14-year-old daughter, Rosines, who posted a picture of herself peering out from behind a wad of greenbacks.

The picture, posted on Instagram, a free photo-sharing app, triggered controversy in Venezuela this week after posting a picture of herself flaunting a fistful of dollars.
Image
© unknownChavez's daughter, Rosines, 14, posted a photo of herself holding a fistful of U.S. dollars, outraging her fellow Venezuelans

Twitter, Facebook and other social media sites seethed with resentment from people who said they had been unable to change bolívares, the local currency, because of government limits on the amount of dollars that can be bought at the official, fixed rate.

Some Twitter users are mocking Rosines' photo by taking photos of themselves flaunting everyday items, calling the craze #rosinesing.

Exchange controls adopted in 2003 to reduce capital flight oblige Venezuelans to navigate a state agency called CADIVI which is notorious for delays, corruption and capping individual allowances at $3,000 a year.

Those with inside connections get extra greenbacks, those without must take their chance on an illegal parallel market which charges double for dollars.

'I can't have even a single dollar unless I buy it on the black market because CADIVI has us prisoner!!!,' said Marisel Ramírez, one typical comment on the website of a newspaper, Diario Maracaibo.

'What annoys me is the mockery given that we have to beg CADIVI and banks to give us dollars,' said Gerar Ortega, another commentator.

Others contrasted the image of Rosinés peeking behind the bills with her father's rhetoric against capitalism and consumerism. Some satirised the photo by substituting the dollars for cooking oil, coffee, sugar and other staples that occasionally become scarce in Venezuela.

However, some defended Rosinés by pointing out that the bills were in small denominations and in total would not be worth a lot of money.

Image
© unknownRepeat offender: It's the second time Rosines has made headlines for allegedly flaunting her family's lavish lifestyle, the first being in a photo with Justin Beiber
Rosines' mother, Marisabel, who divorced Chavez in 2003, defended her daughter on Twitter.

'I told her that her mistake wasn't to take the picture, but rather posting it on a medium where there are ignorant people who don't respect other,' she said.

The photo is the second time Rosines has made headlines for allegedly flaunting her family's lavish lifestyle, the first being when she posted a photo of herself meeting pop star Justin Bieber. Critics claimed this showed a glimpse of the family's exalted lifestyle.

Rosines's latest picture, for many Venezuelans, highlights the parallel system at work: easy access for those close to Chavez, restrictions for those with no connections.

Chavez, who is seeking a third six-year term later this year, made his youngest child famous in 2006 when he credited her with an amendment to the national flag and coat of arms.

The then eight-year-old suggested the image of the horse should gallop right to left rather than left to right. Her father agreed and the national assembly approved the change.