Chavez Faces Venezuelan TV Rallies

Maverick politician Hugo Chavez, president of Venezuela, has closed the country's oldest TV network despite the protests of thousands of street demonstrators in Caracas.

RCTV, the oldest TV station in Venezuela, had been broadcasting since 1953. This makes it one year older than Venezuela's president, Hugo Chavez, who has decided to pull the plug on the popular station.

Meanwhile, out on the streets of Caracas, demonstrations with angry pro-TV malcontents have continued. The protesters have been banging pots and pans lest anyone has any doubt of their anger.

What Mr Chavez says, usually goes. In the case of this TV-station row, he has said that RCTV committed the offence of trying to undermine his government.

Within seconds of RCTV going off the air for the last time, the insignia of a new state-sponsored station, TVES, appeared. Presumably, TVES will have no shortage of rosy-pictured, sweety-pie, pinch-to-the-baby-cheek things to say about Mr Chavez.