I think it is upwards of 200 that I read in a Vz newspaper article months ago. Chavez uses every excuse he can make up. First of all he says "they are not shut down". "They are taken over by decree of the law and still operating only not by the original owners". The oligarchy. His reasons for shutting them down are many, including brodcasting anti-Chavez stuff, expiration of their permit and his favorite one; not broadcasting his 4 hour diatribes as required by law. etc.

He has even started a "Media Truth Brigade" using an army of adolescents in middle and high school. This is continuation and implimentation of Cuban indoctrination beginning with the very young as part of their school curriculum. This is new and scary stuff. Parents are starting to get angry too since they see their children being used as political pawns. But they are helpless. Some kids who have actually been "sworn in" now come to school wearing khaki shirts and red bandanas.

More are being closed or suspended as an ongoing policy the reasons for which you can fill in the blanks.

Suppression of the free media is in Castro's workbook which Chavez has adopted. You can look forward for more. In his recent vist to Fidel Castro's palace Chavez states that they together have made many decisions. Not stated what they were.

The people can hardly wait for S26. Hope it is not too late.

What people should be cocerned about is for Chavez to find an excuse to cancel elections if he feels he will not have 2/3 majority or if he will rig elections to guarantee victory, He is pretty confident he will get the majority. He's convinced China and Russia of that I'm sure. Looks like he is predicting it.