The Venezuelan government on Saturday demanded that the Organization of American States (OAS) retract its remarks on President Hugo Chavez's decision not to renew the broadcast license of an opposition-linked TV station.

OAS Secretary-General Jose Miguel Insulza warned on Friday that Chavez's decision not to renew the license of Radio Caracas Television (RCTV), a station that broadcast programs in favor of a short-lived 2002 coup against Chavez, would be seen as a "form of censorship against freedom of expression."

A statement released by the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry on Saturday accused Insulza of "improperly meddling in a matter that is the strict competency" of Venezuelan authorities.

"We can assure that the government's actions do not constitute a censure of freedom of expression, but rather are meant to provide a true guarantee of it," the ministry said.

The ministry also accused Insulza of being biased by interests, noting that the OAS chief's comments revealed an "unfortunate ignorance of reality in Venezuela."

Chavez has accused RCTV of having backed the 2002 coup. Venezuela's Information Minister William Lara has cited ethical and legal reasons for not renewing the station's license, which is due to expire in May 2007.

Source: Xinhua