Caracas, December 9 (teleSUR-RHC)-- Administrative control over Venezuela’s state-owned media channel ANTV will be transferred to the hands of the workers, President of the National Assembly Diosdado Cabello announced on Tuesday.
"Starting right now, you will be your own bosses,” Cabello announced, in what is seen by many as a counter-measure to threats by right-wing lawmakers to replace the public station with private media outlets.
The announcement comes as right-wing legislator Henry Ramos insinuated during an interview with CNN Spanish that there would be a shift in ANTV’s editorial coverage.
Sometimes described as Venezuela's version of C-SPAN, ANTV is a public broadcaster that largely focuses on coverage of the country’s National Assembly.
Meanwhile, workers from the National Telecommunications Commission (Conatel) responded to the threats by issuing a press release on Tuesday. The statement read: “Moving forward, we demand those who are in control of the National Assembly respect the Venezuelan people, their institutions, workers, and maintain dialogue and democratic debate.”
The Democratic Unity Roundtable (MUD) won a majority in the Venezuelan National Assembly elections on Sunday, after a fierce legislative election.
Many of the MUD's member parties have long disagreed on a variety of policy issues. Beyond vowing to seek to remove President Nicolas Maduro from office, the MUD presented few solid policy proposals ahead of Sunday's vote.