CARACAS, May 28 (Xinhua) -- The Venezuelan government on Monday accused a leading television station critical of President Hugo Chavez of subliminally calling for his assassination and asked prosecutors to investigate.

    The channel, Globovision, allegedly encouraged an attempt on Chavez's life by broadcasting the chorus of a salsa tune along with footage of an assassination attempt against Pope John Paul II, Information Minister Willian Lara said.

    "They incite the assassination of Venezuela's president," Lara said.

    Globovision, a major pro-opposition channel, denied the allegation, which followed the channel's coverage of demonstrators protesting Chavez's decision not to renew the license of RCTV, another pro-opposition TV channel.

    The minister also accused U.S. television network CNN of attempting to associate the Venezuelan leader with terrorism by juxtaposing images of an alleged al-Qaida leader and Chavez.