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CARACAS - Venezuelan police have fired tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse thousands of protesters demonstrating against President Hugo Chavez's closure of an opposition television channel.
On Sunday local time 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/1600 NZT.
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."
RCTV Managing Director Marcel Granier attacked the channel closure as a serious blow to Venezuelan democracy.
"This has exposed the abusive, arbitrary and autocratic nature of Chavez's government, a government that fears free thought, that fears opinion and fears criticism."
Chavez says RCTV backed a bungled 2002 coup against him and condemns its glitzy soap operas as immoral.
Chavez's supporters, clad in their trademark red T-shirts, gathered in a carnival atmosphere, swigging beer and attending street concerts.
"For 53 years this channel was in the hands of capitalists, monopolizing the airwaves," said shopkeeper Jose Quijada, 58.
Chavez has politicized the judiciary, military and oil industry of the Opec nation, has gained powers to rule by decree and could seek indefinite re-election.
Before the closure of RCTV, political analysts had identified Venezuela's critical media as one of the main safeguards against Chavez forging a Cuban-style system, following his mentor President Fidel Castro.
Critics say the move silences the opposition's voice on nationwide airwaves and will deter other anti-Chavez media from criticising Chavez's radical reforms, epitomised this year by a wave of nationalisations.
Leading pollster Datanalisis found almost 70 per cent of Venezuelans opposed the closure, but most cited dismay at the loss of their favourite soap operas rather than concerns about freedom of expression.
Human rights organisations and the US Senate have expressed their concern that Chavez is clamping down on free speech and trying to extend state control.
But government supporters say RCTV has repeatedly violated basic journalistic ethics through open involvement in opposition politics. State television is openly pro-Chavez.
RCTV, along with the country's other networks, openly supported the 2002 coup that toppled Chavez for two days, then refused to cover supporter protests that helped bring him back to office, showing movies and cartoons instead.
On Saturday, the government renewed the licence of Venevision, which took the same stance during the coup but has since softened its editorial line to favour Chavez.
- REUTERS
