Ortega accuses Washington of fomenting anti-government protests in Venezuela

Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega accused Washington on Sunday of fomenting student-led protests against a decision by President Hugo Chavez that forced an opposition-aligned television station off the air.

Flanked by Chavez during a speech that all of Venezuela's TV channels were forced to broadcast, Ortega said his government supported his host's decision not to renew Radio Caracas Television's broadcast license and warned against "Yankee intervention" in Venezuela's affairs.

"I see youngsters on the news marching and protesting, it's really sad. They've been injected with hate," said Ortega, referring to a series of recent street demonstrations by thousands of students who accuse Chavez of restricting freedom of expression.

"In Nicaragua, the Yankees took control of the people and filled them with hate" during the 1980's amid a civil war pitting U.S.-backed Contra rebels against the Sandinista government, Ortega said.

RCTV, was forced off the air May 27 after Chavez refused to renew its license, citing the channel's conduct during a failed coup in 2002 and alleged violations of broadcast laws.

RCTV's executives deny any wrongdoing. They accuse Chavez of trying to muzzle his critics.

Groups such as Human Rights Watch and Reporters Without Borders have called the government's move a flagrant effort to silence criticism. The European Parliament and the U.S. Senate both passed resolutions condemning the decision.

Although many of Venezuela's media outlets are privately owned and critical of Chavez, the RCTV case has raised significant concerns because it was the only opposition-sided TV station with nationwide reach.

During Sunday's talks, Chavez and Ortega signed a agreement granting Nicaragua the right to broadcast Telesur, a new Latin American TV network meant to provide an alternative to CNN. Venezuela holds a 51 percent stake in Telesur, with smaller shares owned by Argentina, Uruguay, Bolivia and communist-led Cuba.

Ortega — a former leftist guerrilla leader — also warned against a U.S. invasion of Venezuela.

"Touching Venezuela is to touch Latin America and the Caribbean, and the struggle would be continental," Ortega said.

Venezuela was Ortega's first stop on 10-day tour that will take him to Algeria, Libya, Iran and Italy.

Chavez has promised Nicaragua a slew of aid and investment — including cash, oil under preferential terms, a refinery and factories — since Ortega took office in January.