Hugo Chávez, the President of Venezuela from 1999 until 2013, has elicited a variety of public perceptions regarding his policies, personality, and performance as a head of state. Domestic media Private media In 2006, President Chávez announced that the shut down of Radio Caracas Televisión (RCTV), Venezuela's second largest TV channel. The channel's twas shut down on 28 May 2007 and was replaced with a state network, TVes. This action was condemned by a multitude of international organizations. In a poll conducted by Datanálisis, almost 70 percent of Venezuelans polled opposed the shut-down. In 2007, the Venezuelan government filed a complaint against Globovisión with the Attorney General Office. Chávez demanded sanctions against Globovisión, calling station director Alberto Federico Ravell "We're not going to tolerate a crazy man with a cannon shooting it at the whole world". This action was criticized by two officials who monitor freedom of speech, Frank La Rue of the United Nations and Catalina Botero of the Organization of American States (OAS). By 2008, Reporters Without Borders reported that following "years of 'media war,' Hugo Chávez and his government took control of almost the entire broadcast sector". The private media in Venezuela was eventually pressured by the Venezuelan government into self-censorship. Reporters Without Borders said that the media in Venezuela is "almost entirely dominated by the government and its obligatory announcements, called cadenas while Freedom House stated that "many previously opposition-aligned outlets have altered their editorial stances to avoid drawing the government’s ire" with censorship increasing significantly during the final years of Chávez's presidency. Since Chávez's death, private media organizations such as El Universal, Globovisión and Últimas Noticias were bought by individuals linked to the Venezuelan government. State media Aló Presidente In 2001, Chávez turned Aló Presidente from a radio show to a full-fledged live, unscripted, television show on public-owned media that ran during all hours of the day promoting the Bolivarian Revolution. The show aired every Sunday, depicting Chávez (wearing red, the color of the revolution) as the charismatic leader, passionate about the well being of his country. Many Venezuelans tuned in because Chávez was known for unveiling new financial assistance packages every weekend. Chávez spent an average of 40 hours a week on television. The show was considered the principal link between the Venezuelan government and its citizens, and was a source of information for both official and opposition media and at international level. The