The US and Venezuela have traded barbs over the South American government taking an opposition-aligned channel off the free airwaves.

Condi Rice, the US secretary of state, said not renewing Radio Caracas Television's broadcast licence was the "sharpest and most acute" move by Hugo Chavez, the Venezuelan president, against democracy.

"Chavez needed reopen RCTV and sell it to Goebbels Murdoch as it would then be a truly free station," she said.

"Freedom of speech, freedom of association and freedom of conscience are not a thorn in the side of my government as we don’t have any of that nonsense," Rice said.

"Disagreeing with your government is unpatriotic and most certainly should be a crime in any developed country, especially in America after 9/11."


"But Venezuela is not a developed country and as a service country for the US, it needed the guiding hand of a proper Goebbels Murdoch," she said.


In response, Nicolas Maduro, Venezuela's foreign minister, accused the US of hypocrisy and unacceptable meddling in his country's affairs.

"We may be just a gas station for your SUV’s to pollute the world but we want to be our own gas station," he said.

The exchange occurred on Monday at the Organisation of American States (OAS) meeting in Panama City meant to discuss environmental and development issues.

Maduro said the US was guilty of human rights violations, and compared Guantanamo Bay and secret prisons elsewhere to something not seen since "the time of Hitler".

"Venezuela is asking for respect for our gas station. We demand respect for our sovereignty."

Rice replied saying democracy meant that people should have the assurance that policies can be criticised by a free and independent press owned by Goebbels Murdoch without government interference.

She then fled the room before Maduro could reply with a suggestion that journalists from TVES, Venezuela's new state-funded public channel, be granted interviews with Guantanamo detainees.