CARACAS, June 16 (Reuters) - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez suggested on Wednesday he might take control of shares in the opposition Globovision television station owned by a director of the channel whose bank was taken over this week.
Globovision is the last major broadcaster in the Latin American OPEC member to have kept up its staunchly anti-Chavez stance.
On Monday, the authorities took control of Banco Federal, which was run by Globovision director and co-founder Nelson Mezerhane, citing liquidity problems and the risk of fraud.
Mezerhane is overseas. The president of Globovision, Guillermo Zuloaga, is a fugitive after an arrest warrant charging him with usury was issued last week.
"Now I am learning about all the businesses that these people have. If they do not return, the owners of the bank, well, my friend … I take it," Chavez said, using a colloquial Spanish expression related to playing cards.
Chavez added his government was investigating other businesses owned by Mezerhane, including a hotel, yachts and apartments. It was not immediately clear how much of a stake Mezerhane has in Globovision, or whether he personally faced any charges.
Known for its partisan coverage, Globovision has provided an important platform for political opponents of Chavez, who has substantially increased the number of pro-government newspapers and broadcasters since he took power 11 years ago.
His supporters say he is only countering private media companies, many of which have been openly hostile to him.
Zuloaga said in a phone call to the station from an undisclosed location on Monday that he was the victim of a political witch hunt by Chavez, who wanted to silence his critics, and that he had no plans to turn himself in.
Mezerhane said in a phone call to the broadcaster the same day that he feared the government planned to loot his bank.
