Venezuelans pack streets before Chavez’s TV closure

05/27/2007

CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuelan police on Sunday fired tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse thousands of protesters demonstrating against President Hugo Chavez's closure of an opposition television channel.

Protesters hurled stones and bottles, which injured four police officers, according to a Reuters reporter. The Caracas police said shots were fired from the crowd and 11 officers were hurt in the clash.

Tens of thousands of Venezuelans poured into the streets of Caracas, hours before RCTV, the country's oldest television network, was scheduled to be taken off air at midnight/0400

Supporters of Chavez held street parties while his opponents condemned the network's closure as a threat to democracy in the OPEC nation.

Chavez sparked international criticism for deciding to replace RCTV with a state-backed channel that will promote the values of his self-styled socialist revolution.

"This is an abuse of power, this is a dictator who wears a the mask of a democrat," said 49-year-old engineer Jose Fernandez at the protest. "Napoleon fell and Chavez will fall too."

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