Ricardo Antela, a constitutionalist lawyer, said the ruling the Political-Administrative Court, Supreme Tribunal of Justice (TSJ), issued on Wednesday in connection with private television RCTV case means that the actions the Ministry of Telecommunications and IT has taken against the TV channel do not amount to closure, but to the expiration of its broadcast license.

In this regard, the current legal status of RCTV is that next May 27 its broadcast license is expiring. Therefore, since the permit will not be renewed, RCTV radio frequency may be allotted to another television station as of May 28, according to Antela.

He explained that the top court upheld an action seeking annulment of the Ministry of Telecommunications and IT resolution number 002, but dismissed a petition for precautionary measures intended to avoid suspension of RCTV operations.