Venezuelan protesters march to Supreme Court

Jun 4, 2007, 21:27 GMT

Caracas - Several thousand Venezuelan students marched through the streets of Caracas to the Supreme Court on Monday, to protest the government's refusal to renew the broadcasting licence of Radio Caracas Television (RCTV).

Carrying Venezuelan flags, demonstrators shouted slogans in favour of freedom of expression and demanded the government led by left-wing populist Hugo Chavez respect civil rights.

The march was followed by police on motorcycles, and National Guard units guarded the court building. Only a delegation of students from 30 private and public universities was allowed through to deliver a petition.

The petition asked Supreme Court magistrates to guarantee civil rights, including the rights to demonstrate and freedom of expression, which they say were violated by the government's refusal to renew RCTV's licence.

'We think the right to protest is not being respected because hurdles are being erected (when we request) permission for the marches. Getting to the Supreme Court is a victory for the student movement,' said student leader Stalin Gonzalez.

Fellow activist John Goicochea noted that students want 'to sit down to build a country with the government or with the opposition.'

The march had to change course after its original plan was rejected, but the alternate route was agreed to with police.

'We proposed the route in sufficient time, we abided by all the legal requirements and we have the right to exercise our freedom. Obviously, in the face of force all that remains is the spirit of reason,' Goicochea said.

The government's refusal to renew the broadcasting licence of RCTV - the oldest and most popular private station in the country - has caused tension for days in the streets of Caracas. Chavez justified the decision, saying that the popular TV station had supported the short-lived coup that briefly removed him from power in 2002.

Since RCTV was shut down early last week, it has been replaced by a new, government-controlled channel - Televisora Venezolana Social (Teves) - which operates using its predecessor's equipment.

On Monday, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice requested that the head of the Organization of American States (OAS) draft a report on the alleged violations of freedom of the press committed in Venezuela.