Venezuela's Chavez singles out some TV networks

By CHRISTOPHER TOOTHAKER Associated Press Writer

Posted: 04/13/2009 07:33:47 PM PDT

Updated: 04/13/2009 07:37:08 PM PDT

CARACAS, Venezuela—President Hugo Chavez urged authorities on Monday to impose sanctions on Venezuelan television networks that allegedly backed a military rebellion that briefly ousted him seven years ago.

Chavez has long accused Venezuela's major TV channels—Venevision, Globovision, RCTV and Televen—of supporting the short-lived 2002 coup by broadcasting cartoons and movies instead of street protests that aided his return to power two days after the military uprising.

The socialist leader accused privately owned TV channels of continuing to try to "stir up disorder."

"Nobody has touched them," Chavez said of the TV networks during a speech to supporters in downtown Caracas. "Sanctions must be imposed."

Chavez didn't elaborate, but similar comments in the past have prompted the government's telecommunications watchdog, Conatel, to slap fines on Globovision.

Ana Cristina Nunez, a legal consultant for Globovision, said Chavez is seeking a crackdown on dissent.

"The president is totally criminalizing the free exercise of freedom of expression," Nunez said.

Venevision and Televen curbed criticism of Chavez following the coup. RCTV moved to cable in 2007 after Chavez refused to renew the channel's broadcast license, leaving Globovision as the only major network that remains critical of the government.

Chavez also urged prosecutors to bring "the intellectual authors" responsible for plotting the coup to trial.

Dissident military officers rose up against Chavez on April 11, 2002, after 19 people were killed during pro- and anti-Chavez street demonstrations in Caracas. Government foes blame the slayings on National Guard troops and Chavez backers who were filmed shooting from a bridge, but the president's supporters say the police were responsible.

None of the dissident military officers who ousted Chavez, many of whom are living in exile, have gone to trial. Former business leader Pedro Carmona, who served as interim president before loyalists in the military returned Chavez to power, was granted political asylum in Colombia.