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Rallies as Venezuelan TV closes Rallies as Venezuelan TV closes
(about 3 hours later)
Thousands of people have been marking the demise of an opposition TV station in Venezuela's capital Caracas as it ended broadcasts on Sunday night.Thousands of people have been marking the demise of an opposition TV station in Venezuela's capital Caracas as it ended broadcasts on Sunday night.
Supporters and opponents of President Hugo Chavez' decision both gathered in the hours before Radio Caracas TV (RCTV) was due to go off air. The atmosphere was tense and shots were fired as supporters and opponents of President Hugo Chavez's decision massed outside Radio Caracas TV's offices.
There were sporadic clashes and police fired water cannon on opponents, as supporters massed in a city park. Within seconds of screens going blank, the insignia of a new state-sponsored broadcaster, TVES, appeared.
Mr Chavez said RCTV tried to undermine his government and needed replacing. Mr Chavez said RCTV had tried to undermine his government.
We are living an injustice - I wish that tonight would never come Eyla AdrianTV presenter The fight continues, freedom is something you have to fight for permanently Marcel GranierRCTV general manager
The president says the new channel that took its place at midnight on Sunday (0400 GMT Monday) will better reflect his ongoing socialist revolution. The president says the new channel that took RCTV's place at midnight on Sunday (0400 GMT Monday) will better reflect the socialist revolution he has pledged to lead.
RCTV and rights groups say Mr Chavez is limiting freedom of expression.RCTV and rights groups say Mr Chavez is limiting freedom of expression.
Emotions are running high across the capital, says the BBC's Will Grant in Caracas. Employees of Venezuela's most watched channel embraced and chanted "freedom", before bowing their heads in tearful prayer, during the final minutes on air.
Many Venezuelans back Mr Chavez' decision to remove the licenceReports said rocks were thrown and several police officers were lightly injured. "Long live Venezuela. We will return soon," a presenter said, before the national anthem was sung and the screen went blank.
Employees of RCTV, Venezuela's most watched channel, embraced and chanted "freedom" as they prepared for a final night of programmes. 'Fight continues'
"We are living an injustice," Eyla Adrian, a 35-year-old presenter, told the Associated Press.
"I wish that tonight would never come."
'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.
Meanwhile, pro-Chavez supporters held a party outside the ministry of communication, celebrating the end of the station's national reach. Many Venezuelans back Mr Chavez' decision to remove the licenceMeanwhile, fireworks exploded across the capital as Chavez supporters celebrated the end of the station - the only opposition-aligned channel with a national reach.
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 "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." All Sunday, the police had strived to keep both sides apart.
At a protest outside the RCTV studio, the station's supporters said the president was stamping on their freedom. However, at the most volatile moment, a group of alleged Chavez supporters made it to within a few streets of the channel's headquarters and shots were fired, says the BBC's James Ingham in Caracas.
They said they would play air raid sirens with an SOS message, highlighting what they said was the president's illegal move. It is not clear who was shooting but the police responded in kind. The result was panic as people fled the scene, our correspondent says.
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. 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
"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. Earlier police used water cannon, tear gas and plastic bullets to disperse stone throwing demonstrators.
RCTV's General Manager Marcel Granier said on Sunday that Mr Chavez was acting illegally. In a broadcast all of the country's TV stations were obliged to run, Mr Chavez said it had been his decision to shut down the station.
"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. "That television station became a threat to the country so I decided not to renew the licence because it's my responsibility," Mr Chavez said.
After midnight, he said, "the fight continues, freedom is something you have to fight for permanently". RCTV's general manager Marcel Granier said that Mr Chavez was acting illegally and described the move to take the station off air as "abusive" and "arbitrary".
Army ready "The fight continues, freedom is something you have to fight for permanently," he said.
From midnight on Sunday (0400 GMT Monday) RCTV will stop broadcasting on its public frequency. 'Involved in coup'
It will still be available on cable, but losing its broadcast frequency will deprive it of most of its audience. RCTV will still be available on cable, but losing its public broadcast frequency will deprive it of most of its audience.
RCTV chief Marcel Granier spoke out against Mr Chavez's decisionRCTV chief Marcel Granier spoke out against Mr Chavez's decision
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, the new state-sponsored channel launched with programmes that Mr Chavez said would better reflect society, including a film about independence hero Simon Bolivar.
The government is providing $4m of funding to launch the new station. The government provided $4m (£2m) of funding for the new station's launch.
A court ruled on Friday that RCTV must temporarily give up its broadcasting infrastructure, to ensure a smooth handover to TVes. Mr Chavez says that private stations like RCTV were involved in a coup that nearly toppled him five years ago and that they have since 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.
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.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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