Venezuelan prosecutors open criminal investigation into anti-Chavez TV station

Venezuelan prosecutors investigate anti-Chavez TV

CARACAS, Venezuela — Venezuelan prosecutors have opened a criminal probe into a television channel opposed to President Hugo Chavez.

Prosecutors said in a statement Wednesday they will determine whether Globovision was trying to incite rebellion by airing a viewer’s text message calling for a coup.

Globovision has said it would never intentionally broadcast unlawful text messages.

Chavez has increasingly clashed with private media he accuses of conspiring against him. His government has closed 32 radio stations and two small television stations for allegedly failing to comply with regulations, while opening investigations into more than 200 others — including Globovision.

Globovision is the only strongly anti-Chavez channel on the open airwaves.