Chavez sues CNN for 'broadcasting lie'

Press TV
May. 31, 2007

Venezuelan government has filed lawsuits against CNN for linking Hugo Chavez to al-Qaeda and Globovision TV for encouraging his assassination.

According to AFP, Venezuelan Information Minister William Lara showed at a press conference on Monday what he said was CNN footage displaying pictures of Chavez juxtaposed with those of an al-Qaeda leader.

CNN also aired a story about the Venezuelan protests, but used images taken in Mexico of an unrelated story, Lara said.

"CNN broadcast a lie which linked President Chavez to violence and murder," Lara said.

The government has also sued Venezuelan network Globovision for what they said was indirectly encouraging Chavez's murder by airing footage of the 1981 assassination attempt on the late pope John Paul II.

"In my view, this television network, in this specific part of its programming, committed the offense of incitement to assassination, against the Venezuelan head of state," Lara said. RR/BGH