Venezuela's Chavez Defends TV Decision

A protester throws a rock toward riot police, unseen, during clashes at a demonstration against Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez's decision to shut down opposition-aligned television station Radio Caracas Television, RCTV, in Caracas, Monday, May 28, 2007. (AP Photo/Howard Yanes) (Howard Yanes - AP)

Chavez says it is a move to democratize the airwaves. He accused RCTV of helping incite a failed coup in 2002, violating broadcast laws and "poisoning" Venezuelans with programming that promoted capitalism.

International press freedom groups, the European Union, the Chilean Senate, Human Rights Watch and others have expressed concern about the move against RCTV. The State Department on Tuesday called on the Chavez government "to reverse policies that limit freedom of expression."

While Chavez made his speech Tuesday, thousands of students and opposition supporters marched to the offices of the Organization of American States, where they urged the body to take a stand chanting, "This is a dictatorship!"

Scattered protests were held in affluent parts of Caracas, as well as eastern Anzoategui state and central Carabobo state.

Thousands of government supporters held a rival march to the presidential palace accusing the opposition of trying to foment instability.

"RCTV was rubbish. Its programming was horrible, banal. Not even (the opposition) watched it," said Elena Pereira, an English professor at a state-funded university. "They want a reason to overthrow the government."

There were no reports of violence Tuesday, though on Monday police firing tear gas clashed with protesters in Caracas.

Chavez did not mention CNN, accused by Lara on Monday of seeking to smear Venezuela. In a statement, CNN denied any campaign to discredit Venezuela and said it has "a long history of consistently balanced coverage" of the country.