Venezuela's last major opposition-aligned television channel appealed a $2 million-plus fine to Venezuela's Supreme Court on Monday, saying the penalty imposed by government regulators might force it to cut back news coverage or drive it into bankruptcy.
A large crowd including opposition politicians, university students and government opponents accompanied Globovision's attorneys to the court, where they asked judges to annul the ruling.
"The fine is impossible to pay and seriously compromises the channel's stability and normal functioning," said Ricardo Antela, one of Globovision's lawyers.
The government telecommunications agency says it fined Globovision because it presented misleading coverage that fomented violence during a prison uprising that pitted armed inmates against National Guard troops in June.
The news channel, which has until Dec. 31 to pay, insists it has done nothing wrong.
Antela said the fine is aimed at "penalizing, talking about and telling the truth, offering opinions and criticizing the government."
International organizations such as Human Rights Watch have called the fine an abuse of power by the government.
Globovision last year became the country's sole remaining anti-Chavez TV channel when another station, RCTV, was forced off cable and satellite TV. Globovision's majority owner fled to the United States last year after prosecutors issued an arrest warrant on charges of usury and conspiracy involving an unrelated business. He called the charges part of a political vendetta.
Other private TV channels have curbed their criticisms of Chavez in recent years and some human rights and press freedom activists argue they are responding to government intimidation.
Chavez vehemently denies silencing critics, and notes that the country still has opposition broadcasters and newspapers.
Tensions increased during Globovision's coverage of the 27-day prison standoff. The rebellion began after thousands of troops stormed the prison seeking to disarm inmates days after a riot killed 22 people.