MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Maduro warns CNN 'change coverage' or they will be forced out of the country

The president argued that CNN refused to show the “violent gangs” that were promoting the country's destabilization

President of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro has warned that if US-owned television station CNN do not change their coverage of protests they will be forced out of the country. “CNN has the objective of forcing a civil war in order to provoke the 'gringo' [US] army against our fatherland. Alert the entire country, alert,” the head of state warned, in a live television appearance this evening.

 Maduro asked the minister of Communication and Information, Delcy Rodríguez to inform CNN that “an administrative process has begun to take them off the air if they do not mend their ways.”

“CNN will leave Venezuela, enough of war propaganda, if they do not make amends, out of Venezuela,” the president asserted, as he welcomed Metro bus workers who alleged assaults by protesters against their vehicles to government headquarters.

Maduro added that CNN refused to show the “violent gangs” that were promoting the country's destabilization and the end of his government.

Last week Colombian channel NTN24 was removed from cable operators, after transmitting live the violent incidents of February 12 that left three dead.

The president also referred to opposition figurehead Leopoldo López, currently incarcerated under accusations of fomenting unrest.

“Where is Leopoldo López? In jail as I said he would be, thanks to the power of the courts and the Public Prosecutor, and we will start capturing them one by one,” he fired, in reference to the opposition leaders.

“There is no weak president here, because here the people are not weak”.