On the National Journalists' Day, on June 27, Venezuelan journalists are not celebrating. Rather, they are staging a march in Caracas streets to demand President Hugo Chávez to order resumption of private television station RCTV's broadcast on its original open signal and to advocate freedom of expression.

The march -organized by Periodistas Unidos por la Libertad de Expresión (Journalists United for Freedom of Expression)- is departing from Plaza Venezuela at 10:00 a.m. to the headquarters of RCTV in Quinta Crespo, west Caracas.

The student movement, actors, and workers and trade unions of news media, professional associations, political parties, and non-governmental associations will join reporters.

Rafael Fuenmayor, a spokesperson for Journalists United for Freedom of Expression, said demonstrators are also gathering outside the headquarters of the Journalists' Professional Association, in Andrés Bello Avenue, north Caracas. Demonstrators gathering at this point are marching to Plaza Venezuela to join the other group.

Caracas Metropolitan Mayoralty issued the relevant authorization for the protest.

The Ministry of the Interior and Justice, in a meeting held on June 26, agreed to designate 2,000 officers, including police officers, firefighters, National Guard troops, and Civil Protection officers to protect demonstrators.

Pedro García Otero, a reporter with daily newspaper El Universal, said the demonstration is highly significant, as June 27 also marks the first month of RCTV off the air, following the Venezuelan government decision not to renew its broadcast license.