Nov. 28 (Bloomberg) -- Hugo Chavez said CNN is seeking to incite his assassination after it showed a video of the Venezuelan leader with a caption that read ``Who Killed Him?''

The footage appeared on CNN's Spanish-language channel, which said it was an error. The text appeared with an image of Chavez and Colombian President Alvaro Uribe.

``I want the state prosecutor to look into bringing a suit against CNN for instigating murder in Venezuela,'' Chavez said last night on state-owned Venezolana de Television.

``This headline did not refer to either of the two presidents, but rather to the death of American football player Sean Taylor, a fact made clear by the anchor in his voiceover,'' Time Warner Inc.'s CNN said in an e-mailed statement. ``The video of presidents Chavez and Uribe was used by mistake and corresponded to a preceding story.''

It isn't the first time the government called for a probe of CNN's programming. In May, Communications and Information Minister Willian Lara asked the attorney general to investigate CNN and local television station Globovision for ``lies'' and inciting violence against Chavez.

Venezuela's foreign minister, Nicolas Maduro, said the Central Intelligence Agency was behind the incident and that it was part of a broader plan to destabilize the country.

``I have no doubt it's part of a total plan against President Chavez,'' he said on a talk show on state television.

Cilia Flores, president of the country's legislature, said on the show that the CIA is spreading violent propaganda to cause riots as the country prepares for a national referendum on constitutional changes proposed by Chavez.

The country's police and military are vigilant against such attempts, Maduro said.

He said an ``official'' at the U.S. embassy in Caracas may also be supporting opposition to the constitutional proposal, and that the government may expel the person from the country. Maduro didn't identify the official.

A spokeswoman at the U.S. embassy couldn't be reached to comment.

To contact the reporter on this story: Helen Murphy in Caracas at Hmurphy1@bloomberg.net; Steven Bodzin in Caracas at sbodzin@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: November 28, 2007 20:38 EST