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| Caracas rallies over TV closure | Caracas rallies over TV closure |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Supporters and critics of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez are rallying in Caracas, hours ahead of the closure of an opposition-aligned TV station. | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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' | '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. | Thousands of supporters of the station took to the streets, banging pots and pans to show their anger at the decision. |
| We haven't lost hope that before midnight the president will react sensibly RCTV's General Manager Marcel Granier | |
| Pro-Chavez supporters held a party outside the ministry of communication, celebrating the end of the station's national reach. | |
| "I agree with what's happening," one woman told the BBC. "We have to support our president. They went too far and they showed him no respect. It was too much." | |
| At a protest outside the RCTV studio, the station's supporters said the president was stamping on their freedom. | |
| 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 In pictures: TV protests | |
| They said they would play air raid sirens with an SOS message, highlighting what they said was the president's illegal move. | |
| 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. | 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," Mr 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. |
| It will still be available on cable, but losing its broadcast frequency will deprive it of most of its audience. | It will still be available on cable, but losing its broadcast frequency will deprive it of most of its audience. |
| Marcel Granier says "the fight continues" | |
| 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. |
| 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." |
| 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. |
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| Are you in Caracas? Have you witnessed the rallies? Send us your comments. If you have any pictures you can send them to yourpics@bbc.co.uk. | |
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