Closing down critics
The Telegraph (via) reports that Venezuelan President, Hugo Chavez, is to close the country’s oldest television channel for being critical of his regime.
Chavez said he would not be renewing the licence of Radio Television Caracas (RCTV), founded in 1953, which has long allied itself with opposition forces: “It is best that they start packing their bags and working out what to do after March, as there will be no new licence for the coup-mongering channel called Radio Caracas Television,” the president said during a speech to the armed forces.
He went on to claim the channel was “at the service of coups against the people, against the nation, against national independence, against the dignity of the republic”.
RCTV is among several private Venezuelan media organisations that supported a bungled coup in 2002 and a devastating general strike in 2003 that failed to unseat the president.
Mr Chavez, who was re-elected by a landslide earlier this month, has promised to usher in “Socialism of the 21st Century” and has warned repeatedly that the government would deny broadcast licenses to channels accused of conspiring against him.
According to Marcel Granier, the head of RCTV, the channel does not need to renew its licence. He also vowed to fight against the president’s plans in Venezuela’s courts and on the international stage. If Mr Chavez “was serious, I think he’s badly informed,” Mr Granier said.
Sunday 07 Jan 2007 | Paul | Venezuela
