The Venezuelan capital was plunged into turmoil on Monday May 28th, after thousands protested over the cancellation of a TV station.
Controversial president Hugo Chavez had refused to renew the licence of Radio Caracas Television on the grounds of "subversive" behaviour.
RCTV was the only opposition-aligned station in the country and, according to Chavez, had supported a 2002 coup against him.
Police fired rubber bullets and tear gas at some 5,000 protesters after initially peaceful demonstrations had turned violent, with rocks and bottles thrown.
Reporters Without Borders, a non-governmental organisation promoting a free press, was dismayed at Chavez' decision, with Americas director Benoit Hervieu stating: "Yesterday we saw the takeover of the principal media critical of president Chavez."
He asked: "Besides [private channel] Globovision, what television media is left than can criticise the government of Mr Chavez?"
Three protesters and one police officer were injured in the Caracas riots, while smaller skirmishes occurred around the country - four students were shot in the university town of Valencia.
Willan Lara, communications and information minister, has since spread the Chavista net wider, with global news network CNN now a target, for alleged "lies".
In a news conference, he said: "This is an effort to associate Hugo Chavez with two things: violence and death. It's an unacceptable piece of propaganda against the country, not real journalism."
