Venezuela cable providers drop TV channel critical of President Hugo Chavez

Cable providers dump anti-Chavez TV channel

CARACAS, Venezuela — Venezuelan cable television providers have dropped a TV channel critical of President Hugo Chavez from their programming after a government official said the network violated broadcast laws.

The anti-Chavez channel Radio Caracas Television disappeared from the airwaves shortly after midnight on Sunday.

Also known as RCTV, the channel switched to cable in 2007 after the government refused to renew its over-the-air license.

The director of Venezuela’s telecommunications agency said Saturday that several local channels carried by cable television have breached broadcasting laws and should be removed from the airwaves.

Diosdado Cabello said cable operations could find themselves in jeopardy if they keep showing those channels.