Hugo Chavez's favourite daughter makes her debut at United Nations

With more than a million Twitter followers and no diplomatic experience, the favourite daughter of Venezuela's late leader Hugo Chavez has made her debut as her country's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations.

The occasion was a "Day of Solidarity" with Syria, Russia and others, lining up to slam the United States for its recent sanctions against seven senior officials of the socialist country on Wednesday. Maria Gabriela Chavez confirmed it was her first public event in her new role.

"I'm here to learn," she said, in English.

She was named to the post in August, to the anger of Venezuela's opposition.

Chavez acted as Venezuela's unofficial first lady to her divorced father, who had four other children, travelling with him and attending official functions. In her mid-30s, she has called him "my giant" and had been out of the spotlight since his death two years ago.

She holds a journalism degree but has little apparent work experience.

Her posting as a UN envoy has been seen as an attempt by Venezuela's embattled President Nicolas Maduro to cement his ties with the popular previous leader and his admirers.