[1] According to its former editor, Roger Santodomingo, Noticiero Digital became popular after the government of Venezuela decided not to renew the broadcast license of cable television network RCTV, saying: "It has become [a] forum for comment that is virtually out of its own management's control because of its totally open nature.
[2] In May 2007, Noticiero Digital journalists, along with colleagues from RCTV and Globovision, were accused of being employed by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to destabilize the Chávez government.
[2] In May 2007, Venezuela's Attorney General accused Noticiero Digital of "attempting to instigate the assassination of the president and of receiving funding from the US State Department to destabilize the government".
Santodomingo, the former editor, said that "the investigation has been prompted by his publication of an opinion poll in which the option of assassinating President Hugo Chávez was offered as a possible response to the question: 'What is the way out of this crisis?'
"[13] In support of Chávez, "who questioned the news website Noticiero Digital for spreading false information about the alleged death of the Minister of Public Works and Housing, Diosdado Cabello, and pro-government TV anchor Mario Silva", the National Assembly of Venezuela appointed a committee to investigate webmasters who commit crimes, but denied plans to regulate the internet.