Venezuela revokes CNN press credentials
By Associated Press
Feb 21, 2014 12:46 PM CST
A photographer takes pictures of barricades set up by anti-government protesters in the Altamira neighborhood of Caracas, Venezuela, Thursday, Feb. 20, 2014. Violence is heating up in Venezuela as an opposition leader faces criminal charges for organizing a rally that set off escalating turmoil in the...   (Associated Press)

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Venezuela's government has revoked the press credentials of journalists from CNN after President Nicolas Maduro blasted the television network's coverage of political protests.

CNN says Friday that four of its journalists were notified by the Information Ministry that they are no longer allowed to report in the country. They include CNN en Espanol anchor Patricia Janiot

Maduro on Thursday threatened to expel CNN from Venezuela if it doesn't "rectify" its coverage of unrest that he says is part of a campaign to topple his socialist government. Colombian news channel NTN24 was suspended from Venezuelan cable TV packages a week ago.

The government's near-complete control of domestic broadcasters has made CNN en Espanol a source of information for many Venezuelans trying to follow the unrest.