Chavez warns Venezuelan TV not to support coup

Fri 17 Nov 2006 6:52 PM ET
By Patricia Rondon

EL ESPINAL, Venezuela, Nov 17 (Reuters) - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez on Friday warned private media he would shut them down if they promote a bid to topple him he says is planned after his expected Dec. 3 re-election.

Chavez, who has gradually increased his control over most Venezuelan institutions, has accused the opposition of planning to oust him if he wins another big majority as most polls expect he will.

He has said he expects the opposition to claim fraud, and to try to mobilize street protesters and the army.

"We have to shut any television channel that broadcasts messages inciting terrorism, hate or war and calls on people not to recognize the authorities. We have to shut it," Chavez said during a speech on Venezuela's Caribbean island of Margarita.

"Anyone who goes to a television channel and calls on the army to overthrow the government will be arrested as soon as he leaves the station," he added.

Chavez's challenger, Manuel Rosales, governor of the western oil state of Zulia, denies all charges he is hatching a coup.

The president has offered no evidence of the opposition-coordinated coup he says is planned, except to cite veteran journalist Rafael Poleo who in a TV interview this month urged a post-vote ouster of Chavez.

Political analysts view a critical media as one of the prime safeguards against Venezuela sliding into a Cuban-style one party state, which Washington regards as a risk.

The country's private television stations mostly are hostile to Chavez. They urged street demonstrations against him during the coup four years ago that briefly dislodged him.

But the anti-U.S. leader said he would thwart any attempt by the media to foment another putsch.

"We are not going to allow them to drench Venezuela in blood again," Chavez said, referring to the more than 60 deaths during a 2002 coup. >>>cont

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