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| Caracas rallies over TV closure | |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Supporters and critics of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez are rallying in Caracas, hours ahead of the closure of an opposition-aligned TV station. | |
| Mr Chavez refused to renew Radio Caracas TV's (RCTV) licence, saying it had tried to undermine his government. | |
| RCTV and rights groups say Mr Chavez is limiting freedom of expression. | RCTV and rights groups say Mr Chavez is limiting freedom of expression. |
| Employees of RCTV, Venezuela's most watched channel, embraced and chanted "freedom" as they prepared for a final night of programmes. | |
| Some employees were vowing to occupy the station studios overnight, possibly to hinder the government takeover, the AFP news agency reported. | |
| 'Haven't lost hope' | |
| Thousands of supporters of the station took to the streets, banging pots and pans to show their anger at the decision. | |
| In a broadcast all of Venezuela's TV stations were obliged to run, Mr Chavez said it had been his decision to shut down the station. | |
| "That television station became a threat to the country so I decided not to renew the licence because it's my responsibility," Chavez was quoted as saying by the Associated Press. | |
| RCTV's General Manager Marcel Granier said on Sunday that Mr Chavez was acting illegally. | RCTV's General Manager Marcel Granier said on Sunday that Mr Chavez was acting illegally. |
| "We haven't lost hope that before midnight the president will react sensibly... he still has the opportunity to correct this abusive, arbitrary and illegal behaviour," he said. | "We haven't lost hope that before midnight the president will react sensibly... he still has the opportunity to correct this abusive, arbitrary and illegal behaviour," he said. |
| After midnight, he said, "the fight continues, freedom is something you have to fight for permanently". | After midnight, he said, "the fight continues, freedom is something you have to fight for permanently". |
| Army ready | Army ready |
| From midnight on Sunday (0400 GMT Monday) RCTV will stop broadcasting on its public frequency. | From midnight on Sunday (0400 GMT Monday) RCTV will stop broadcasting on its public frequency. |
| RCTV KEY FACTS Venezuela's oldest private broadcaster, founded in 1953Only opposition broadcaster with national reachIn 2002, broadcast opposition calls to overthrow ChavezAirs large numbers of telenovelas and reality shows class="" href="/1/hi/in_pictures/6697099.stm">In pictures: TV protests | |
| It will still be available on cable, but losing its broadcast frequency will deprive it of most of its audience. | |
| In place of RCTV, a new state-sponsored channel, TVes, will launch with programmes that Mr Chavez has said will better reflect society. | In place of RCTV, a new state-sponsored channel, TVes, will launch with programmes that Mr Chavez has said will better reflect society. |
| The government is providing $4m of funding to launch the new station. | The government is providing $4m of funding to launch the new station. |
| On Saturday, thousands of supporters rallied outside RCTV's offices and vowed defiance. | On Saturday, thousands of supporters rallied outside RCTV's offices and vowed defiance. |
| "This is Venezuela, not Cuba!" some protesters shouted. "We have what it takes to fight!" | "This is Venezuela, not Cuba!" some protesters shouted. "We have what it takes to fight!" |
| The protest followed a court ruled on Friday that RCTV must temporarily give up its broadcasting infrastructure, to ensure a smooth handover to TVes. | The protest followed a court ruled on Friday that RCTV must temporarily give up its broadcasting infrastructure, to ensure a smooth handover to TVes. |
| President Chavez has warned of tough action, should there be violence during protests. | President Chavez has warned of tough action, should there be violence during protests. |
| "I call on the country lest anyone be provoked or any group lend itself to creating chaos," he said. | "I call on the country lest anyone be provoked or any group lend itself to creating chaos," he said. |
| "Venezuelan armed forces are ready. Anyone generating violence will regret it." | "Venezuelan armed forces are ready. Anyone generating violence will regret it." |
| Marcel Granier says "the fight continues" | |
| Mr Chavez says that private stations like RCTV were involved in a coup that nearly toppled him five years ago and that since then they have actively tried to bring down his government. | Mr Chavez says that private stations like RCTV were involved in a coup that nearly toppled him five years ago and that since then they have actively tried to bring down his government. |
| Mr Chavez has stepped up his radical revolution since being re-elected in December 2006. | Mr Chavez has stepped up his radical revolution since being re-elected in December 2006. |
| With the power to rule by decree he has nationalised key sectors of the economy and is drawing his supporters together under one unified party. | With the power to rule by decree he has nationalised key sectors of the economy and is drawing his supporters together under one unified party. |
| All this is hugely popular amongst Mr Chavez's supporters, who back his decision to remove RCTV's licence. | All this is hugely popular amongst Mr Chavez's supporters, who back his decision to remove RCTV's licence. |