( CNN ) -- 32 radio stations closed ; law proposed to punish `` media crimes '' Chavez government moving `` to silence critics , '' U.S. intelligence report says . Chavez , Venezuelan media have had a turbulent relationship . The president has been accused of using the press as an instrument for his own political ends and is often criticized by international human rights groups for cracking down on independent media.
32 radio stations closed ; law proposed to punish `` media crimes '' Chavez government moving `` to silence critics , '' U.S. intelligence report says . Chavez , Venezuelan media have had a turbulent relationship . The president has been accused of using the press as an instrument for his own political ends and is often criticized by international human rights groups for cracking down on independent media.