Police used rubber bullets and tear gas against students protesting against the closure of the RCTV television channel.
The main demonstration took place on Monday in Caracas, with further demonstrations in
Valencia (100km southwest of Caracas) and San Cristobal (in the south-west of the country). The main demonstration was attended by 5000. There have been no official reports of casualties for this demonstration although the government has confirmed that four people were taken to hospital in Valencia.
At the main demonstration, led by the main opposition party, students carried banners saying "this is a dictatorship", sang "we are not afraid" and tried to set up barricades using burning rubbish.
RCTV, founded in 1953, is the oldest independent channel in Venezuela. It supported the political opposition to Mr Chavez. When the president explained why he had refused to renew its license he cited its support for the failed coup attempt in 2002 and its supposed subversive broadcasting.
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