The US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations passed Resolution 311 advocating freedom of expression and rebutting the closure of private TV channel Radio Caracas Televisión (RCTV).

The instrument is to be submitted for unanimous approval of the whole Senate.
 
The resolution was introduced by Republican Senator Richard Lugar and Democrat Christopher Dodd. It was also supported by Democrats Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, Edward Kennedy, Bill Nelson, Joseph Biden, as well as Republicans John McCain, Chuck Hagel, John Sununu, Mel Martinez, Norm Coleman and John Isakson.

The instrument posted Wednesday exclusively on eluniversal.com, expresses "the profound concern of the Senate regarding the transgression against freedom of thought and expression that is being carried out in Venezuela."

"For several months, the President of Venezuela, Hugo Chávez, has been announcing over various media that he will not renew the current concession of the television station Radio Caracas Television, also known as RCTV, because of its adherence to an editorial stance different from his way of thinking," the document stated.