US First Lady Melania Trump has found herself on the receiving end of Twitter users' wrath over a photo op with Juan Guaido's spouse Fabiana Rosales following their private meeting at the Mar-a-Lago retreat in South Florida last week.
In a message accompanied by a photo of the two women standing and smiling against the background of US and Venezuelan flags, Melania's official twitter account said that Rosales had "shared her passionate ideas and plans to restore democracy and to care for the children of Venezuela", adding that the US stood "with you & Pres @Jguaido."
An inspiring meeting with @FabiiRosales as she shared her passionate ideas and plans to restore democracy and to care for the children of Venezuela. We stand with you & Pres @Jguaido. pic.twitter.com/4Oj5bHCqHk
— Melania Trump (@FLOTUS) 29 марта 2019 г.
The tweet was quickly flooded with comments, with pro-Trump users tweeting on the women's beauty or thanking Melania for being "the best First Lady ever."
Two beautiful women. Wow.
— Wyatt (@MrEarpLA) 29 марта 2019 г.
@FLOTUS You are absolutely the best First Lady ever 🙏🇺🇸❤️
— Trumps warrior girl (@Kellie2727Paula) 29 марта 2019 г.
I love u you are so chic and kindness thanks for all support our country and our freedom
— ggp (@gabogarciaccs) 29 марта 2019 г.
Not everyone was taken in by the scenery, however, with some users accusing the first lady of being disingenuous with her "care for the children" message.
Can you do the same for the children at Trump’s internment camps at the southern border?
— Pearl Jelly (@karma132205411) 29 марта 2019 г.
Hey @FLOTUS, Why don't you do the same and tell that jerk of a husband of yours to free the children he has put in cages. You are all such hypocrites. https://t.co/hacgnVCfme
— Cathy Ferguson (@CathyFerguson51) 29 марта 2019 г.
Plz also care for the children of #palestine #kashmir and #syria! #GolanHeights #GazaMillionProtest #KashmirBleeds https://t.co/X9tWe86DFF
— Daud Mazari (@DaudMazari) 29 марта 2019 г.
Go fly a kite you do nothing for kids woman for no one. You are rarely seen and are known to spend taxpayers money on hotels you never stay at. You abuse the system and are as self indulgent and greedy like the unfit lump your married to Melania.
— Carol bazers (@BazersCarol) 29 марта 2019 г.
You are no better than your husband. You have become the female version of his self. Shameful. You will end up alone and known for your lack of empathy. https://t.co/kVLtVj0mz8
— WasIsAlwaysPali (@AlwaysPali) 29 марта 2019 г.
Others attempted to provide Melania with a concise history lesson of the many times the US has sponsored coups or led invasions against Latin American countries in recent decades, voicing their "disappointment" with the first lady and asking her whether her defence of US policy in the region meant the she was a "monster too".
By this time, living with a sociopath you must have formed an extremely cogent view of what his intentions are regarding Venezuela Melania.
— Russian Platform #HandsOffVenezuela 🇻🇪🇷🇺✌ (@RussiaConnects) 29 марта 2019 г.
It is disappointing to find you are clearly willing to see children die for his greed & to feed his insatiable ego. Are you a monster too? pic.twitter.com/9aUYRvdfUx
Some users focused on the "total madness" of Melania hosting Rosales in the first place, pointing out that the media's reference to Rosales as 'first-lady-in-waiting' was absolutely absurd, given that her husband Juan Guaido was not Venezuela's democratically-elected president. One user angrily suggested Rosales had been "wined and dined by the elites who wish to run #Venezuela from their #Florida mansions".
Simply misconceived, it's total madness. US President Donald Trump's wife Melania hosted Guaido's wife Fabiana Rosales in the White House on Wednesday, with establishment media referring to Rosales as the Venezuelan "first lady" and "first-lady-in-waiting".
— simon saidi (@sidow2000) 29 марта 2019 г.
#Breaking #News #Fabiana #Rosales meets privately w #Melania #Trump at #Trump's Palm Beach estate, to be wined & dined by the elites who wish to run #Venezuela from their #Florida mansions
— @WaliColt2020 (@walicolt2020) 29 марта 2019 г.
this #MiamiBasedMafia will debut #Guaido's wife tomorrow https://t.co/yBpSDBaknW pic.twitter.com/Nj5wOI4GL2
Last week, Washington warned that Moscow would "pay a price" for its military-technical assistance to the country, with Russia dismissing the threat and pointing out that Russian assistance was being provided to Venezuela "within the framework of normal relations" with its legitimate government.