Media

CNN, BBC taken off the air by Venezuelan government

by Joe Concha - 04/30/19 5:18 PM ET

CNN and the BBC were taken off the air in Venezuela on Tuesday by the country’s government amid an apparent coup by supporters of National Assembly leader Juan Guaidó.

CNN reported that broadcast providers DirecTV, Net Uno, Intercable, and Telefónica have “all received orders from Venezuela’s government regulator Conatel to block CNN.”

{mosads}The move came on the same day that the Trump administration announced its support for supporters of Guaidó who have taken to the streets in an effort to overthrow President Nicolás Maduro’s socialist government.

CNN’s breaking news Twitter feed confirmed the network had been taken off the air.

A BBC senior publicity manager told The Hill that BBC Global News had also been taken off the air in the South American country.

A CNN broadcast feed earlier on Tuesday showed military vehicles running over protesters in the capital city of Caracas.

In a series of tweets, Guaidó said the plan to end Maduro’s “usurpation” was entering its “final phase” and called on the country’s armed forces to join him.

“The people of Venezuela began the end of the usurpation,” Guaidó tweeted. “In this moment I find myself with the principal units of our Armed Forces initiating the final phase of Operation Liberty.”

Tags CNN News Venezuela