21/05/2025
FTS 8.30
*Colombia: crowds defend popular consultation
*China denounces U.S. anti-missile system threatens global stability
FTS 8.30
*Colombia: crowds defend popular consultation
*China denounces U.S. anti-missile system threatens global stability
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00Venezuela's Sectoral Vice President for Political Sovereignty, Security and Peace, General Vladimir Padrino Lopez,
00:17we affirm that the country's territorial defense system is ready to protect the nation days before the parliamentarian for general elections.
00:23President Gustavo Petro defended the proposal of the popular consultation in front of a huge crowd in the city of Barranquilla in northern Colombia.
00:39China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Nin said that the missile defense shield announced by US President Donald Trump undermines global stability.
00:53Hello, welcome to From the South. I'm Luis Alberto Matos from Metelesu Studios in Havana, Cuba. We'll begin with the news. Stay with us.
01:11On Tuesday, Venezuela's Sectoral Vice President for Political Sovereignty, Security and Peace, General Vladimir Padrino Lopez,
01:18we affirm that the country's territorial defense system is ready to protect the nation just days before the parliamentary and regional elections.
01:25During the meeting, the authorities discussed the strategic adjustments required to safeguard national sovereignty and prepare for the May 25th elections.
01:33The military leader emphasized the importance of taking action against the malicious plans of the far right, both nationally and internationally.
01:41He also urged the activation of coordinated patrols and the implementation of an active intelligence system involving civilian, military and police forces.
01:50These measures are being taken amid growing political tension as the government seeks to ensure a secure environment for the upcoming elections.
01:56And thanks to the joint effort of the governments of Antigua and Barbuda and Venezuela,
02:06Antiguan women who had been missing for more than three decades was reunited with her family on Tuesday.
02:15More on the story with journalist Garfield Beaufort.
02:17The moment a private jet from Venezuela arrived at D.C. Berge International Airport,
02:22carrying an Antiguan citizen who had been missing and presumed dead.
02:32After 32 years and five months, a return to Antigua fit for a fairytale for Denise Odelia Charles.
02:38Charles is welcomed by Prime Minister Honorable Gaston Brown as well as Minister for Social and Urban Transformation Honorable Roden-Turner
02:45and other officials at V.C. Berge International Airport on Tuesday morning.
02:50Thanks to God, first, and you and my family.
02:55Pleasure. Pleasure. Good to have you back home.
02:57And Mr. Raul.
02:59Yes.
03:00Minister.
03:01Thank you again, man.
03:03And give our male president my best.
03:05Yeah, good, good.
03:06Absolutely.
03:08Blessings, yeah. Blessings.
03:09Good, good.
03:10The government of Antigua and the Barbuda had sponsored a trip to Venezuela
03:13for her brother Terence Charles and her nephew Tishon Watson
03:16to accompany Denise Charles back to Antigua.
03:19Back on Antiguan soil, the tears flowed.
03:22When I was there, when you go for a hug on the other side of Venezuela,
03:25she gave me a big hug and tears come to my eyes to see my sister again.
03:31I go to the bathroom and I saw her and I pretend not.
03:36So I tell him, look, we go to the bathroom because I actually can't believe.
03:43Yes.
03:44Yeah.
03:45So I tell him, you wait for the bathroom.
03:46I'm going to the bathroom.
03:47I'm going to the bathroom.
03:48I went down first.
03:49Guys, so I went down.
03:50Come on.
03:51I'm going to come to the aisle.
03:52I'm going to talk to the picture.
03:53I spat her.
03:54He went down.
03:55She spat me too.
03:56Yeah.
03:57So I got for the bathroom.
03:58Let's go.
03:59She's coming to my arms.
04:00Help me.
04:01Excuse me.
04:02I feel so emotional.
04:04So she's happy to be home because it's her family daily.
04:13The expressions of gratitude for making this possible also flowed.
04:17And I got the prime minister and that was it.
04:20He was so kind.
04:21Yes.
04:22The prime minister is a good man.
04:23Happy year.
04:24Yes.
04:25And, you know, he has some people that, you know, talk on the negative side of it and
04:38so on.
04:39We believe that this was actually true.
04:44Yes.
04:45And I have to say, thanks to the prime minister.
04:48He's a good man.
04:49Right.
04:50He did a very good job.
04:52Good job.
04:53And he worked on the situation really quickly.
04:58The circumstances surrounding Charles ending up in Venezuela and being missing for so long
05:03are not yet clear.
05:04Overwhelmed with emotion, Tuesday was determined not the best time to go into those details.
05:08Those are expected to come in the days and weeks ahead.
05:12Instead, she and her family are immersed in the tearful, surreal reunion.
05:16Her sister, Joycelyn, was the one who saw her profile on social media and reached out.
05:21I'm looking for her all the time.
05:23Then, you know, I just go in my profile messenger.
05:26And I found her.
05:27And I text.
05:29And I get an answer.
05:31And I went in the profile again.
05:33And then I see the pastor.
05:36I used to be here.
05:37The pastor.
05:38That's good.
05:39That you went to church and I said, you know, I'll send it, you guys, I can't say this.
05:44Wow.
05:45The collection made.
05:46It was over to the authorities in St. John's and Caracas to get to work on the arrangements.
05:51Charles from Grace Farm is now fluent in Spanish.
05:53Having taught herself over 10 of those years, she was in the Bolivarian Republic.
05:57I learned Spanish.
05:58And now I talk more Spanish than English.
06:03How do you feel in Spanish?
06:05How are you?
06:06Good.
06:08Are you happy?
06:09Outside, another group of her family was overjoyed to have seen her, embraces and words fitting
06:14for 32 years of absence.
06:16Prime Minister Honorable Gaston Brown is delighted to have played a part in making this possible.
06:25We're elated.
06:26And we're just happy to accommodate her.
06:27Our government would have intervened and we would have collaborated with the government
06:32of Venezuela.
06:33President Maduro has been extremely benevolent in making the air transportation available.
06:40He organized a special charter to fly her to Latiga, myself and her family who we sponsored
06:47to travel to Venezuela to be patriated here.
06:50So we're very pleased to have her back and we make sure we put the necessary steps in
06:55place to have her fully integrated or reintegrated with our society.
06:59In fact, we have guaranteed her job.
07:01We're quite sure that she can assist us in many areas.
07:04She has language skills.
07:09She speaks Spanish-friendly.
07:12So that in itself is an asset to her.
07:15A similar message from Minister for Social and Urban Transmission Honorable Roden Turner.
07:19It's a message of hope.
07:21Because I know there are other persons who have gone missing in Antigua and Urban Transmission
07:26and to see a family member return home after 32 years, five months, it's a miracle.
07:33We just have to thank God for something like that.
07:36And the Ministry of Social Transformation, we will be taking an active role in providing
07:41some assistance to the family and to the lady to reintegrate back into Antigua and Urban
07:48Society.
07:49As the bus leaves with Denise and members of her family, a new chapter begins.
07:54And the twelfth session of the Cuban-Berollution Intergovernmental Commission for Economic Commercial
08:01Collaboration between these two countries finished Tuesday in Havana Capital with the signing
08:06of nine deals.
08:07The agenda of Belarusian Deputy Foreign Minister Evgeny Chesdaskov and the delegation that accompanied
08:13him, including visits and exchanges with Cuban organizations and companies linked to the industrial,
08:18bio-pharmaceutical and food sectors.
08:21The visit served to define the steps to be taken to strengthen economic, commercial, financial
08:26and cooperation relations.
08:28In this context, Havana and Minsk ratify the important role that their business circles must
08:33play in the implementation of the consensus reached.
08:37We now have our first break coming up, remember you can join us on TikTok at Telesur English,
08:45where you'll find news in different formats, news updates and with more.
08:48We'll be right back, stay with us.
09:07Welcome back.
09:08On Tuesday, President Gustavo Petro defended the proposal of a popular consultation in front
09:14of a huge crowd in the city of Barranquilla in northern Colombia.
09:17During the open meeting, the President announced dialogue with youth groups while also defending
09:22the labor reform.
09:24From that stage, he also challenged those who have obstructed Colombians' right to decide
09:28on fundamental issues and warned that if he were to be removed from supporting an indefinite
09:33strike, it could lead to a social revolution.
09:36The head of state confirmed that he is not seeking re-election, but rather promoting social
09:41change based on justice and equity.
09:48The Colombian executive insists that it is the people who have the power to decide in view
09:52of the parliamentary blockage that has prevented the advancement of social reforms.
09:57That is why it's promoting a new power consultation.
10:01A correspondent in Antovar read details.
10:05Representatives of the Colombian executive filed in Congress another version of the popular
10:14consultation that now adds four questions related to the health reform to the twelve
10:17that were already stipulated on the labor reform.
10:20The intention is for the people to decide some aspects of the social reforms that have been
10:24blocked in the assembly.
10:29And that benefit many economic sectors that finance campaigns that finance scientific societies.
10:34Those monopolies are the ones that we say have to be eliminated, that the government enters to
10:39massively acquire the medicines, that the government enters to directly attend to guarantee from the
10:43low complexity to the highest complexity medicines for, the population without depending on
10:48authorizations or other forms of intermediation that exist in the whole health market in Colombia.
10:53That for us is absolutely valid, we consider that this mercantilist scheme is broken.
11:02In recent days a sector of the legislators in the Senate plenary, belonging to the opposition benches, sank the first version of the popular referendum.
11:14The new proposal of the executive now broadens the spectrum to the health group.
11:18Welcoming more collectives with this mechanism of citizen participation that seeks to change the
11:23model of health, seizing to be seen as a business and suppressing the monopolies that revolve around it.
11:28And that benefit many economic sectors that finance campaigns that finance scientific societies.
11:40Those monopolies are the ones that we say have to be eliminated, that the government enters to
11:44massively acquire the medicines, that the government enters to directly attend to guarantee from the
11:48low complexity to the highest complexity medicines for, the population without depending on authorizations
11:57or other forms of intermediation that exist in the whole health market in Colombia.
12:01That for us is absolutely valid, we consider that this mercantilist scheme is broken.
12:16Both the labor reform and the health reform have been rejected by the ultra-right in parliament.
12:21For this reason, the executive has appealed together with the various social sectors and the coalition benches in the legislature.
12:26to the figure of popular consultation so that these demands can be recognized and implemented,
12:31and expectations continue among the citizens.
12:33It helps the labor situation that Colombia is going through.
12:40People are working to survive, not to live, so it is very difficult not to give them the conditions that the people need.
12:47It is also time for the popular sectors to organize themselves.
12:54In a first moment to defend this other proposal of popular consultation, we are seeing it in the different sectors,
13:00not only in the big cities, but also in the smaller municipalities as they are organizing themselves in the open town councils.
13:06In view of this panorama, the different popular social and political organizations that support the consultation
13:19have decreed a national strike on May 28th and 29th, in view of the parliamentary blockade
13:24that has been imposed on the social transformation proposals.
13:27Hernán DarÃo Tobar, Gaitán Telesur, Bogotá, Colombia.
13:31In other news, thousands of Uruguayans gathered in Montevideo for the 30th annual March of Silence demanding truth
13:37and justice for victims of forced disappearances during the 1973-1985 military dictatorship.
13:44The march, held under the slogan,
13:46sepan cumplir, know how to deliver, urged the government to take concrete action in uncovering the fate of 197 missing people.
13:54Silent demonstrations moved through the capital street, led by families holding photographs of the disappeared.
14:00Signs reading, no more impunity, and this wound remains open, reflected the ongoing struggle for accountability.
14:06Among the attendees were Vice-President Carolina Cose and Lucia Topolanski, widow of former President Jose Lujica.
14:13Organizers expressed cautious optimism about President Yamandú Orsi's recent gestures of support,
14:19hoping they translate into real action.
14:26We have a second short break coming up.
14:28Before we invite you to visit our Facebook page at Telesur English,
14:31there you'll be able to watch our top stories, special live coverage, and much more.
14:35Follow our page and activate an efficient button to stay up-to-date on the rules of most recent events.
14:39Final break, we'll be right back.
14:41Welcome back.
14:42On Wednesday, China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Mao Ning, said that the missile defense shield announced by U.S. President Trump undermines global stability.
14:43The spokeswoman stated that China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Mao Ning, said that the missile defense shield announced by U.S. President Trump undermines global stability.
14:45The spokeswoman stated that Beijing has asked Washington to abandon the development and deployment of the global strategy.
14:50I will invite you to visit our Facebook page at Telesur English.
14:51Welcome back.
14:52On Wednesday, China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Mao Ning, said that the missile defense shield announced by U.S. President Trump undermines global stability.
15:08Trump undermines global stability.
15:10Spokeswoman stated that Beijing has asked Washington to abandon the development and
15:13deployment of the global missile defense system as soon as possible.
15:18China claims that the U.S. plan aims to create an unrestricted defense system and proposes
15:23increasing research, development and deployment of all types of missile interceptor systems.
15:28This would increase the risk of low arms rates.
15:31On Tuesday, the U.S. president announced the creation of the Gold Dome system, which is
15:35expected to cost $175 billion.
16:01The humanitarian crisis in Gaza grows as death toll rises to more than 53,000.
16:06Health authorities' latest report set the toll on 53,573 Palestinians killed and 121,688
16:16people injured since October 2023.
16:19Over the past day, 87 people lost their lives in Israeli strikes, including 53 on Tuesday.
16:24UN Women reports over 28,000 women and girls have died, one every hour on average, many
16:31of them mothers.
16:32Conditions have deteriorated further since the ceasefire collapsed in March, worsened by
16:37nearly 11 weeks of blockade on humanitarian aid.
16:40In this context, the UN Women is calling for an immediate ceasefire on restricted humanitarian
16:45access and the release of all hostages and arbitrarily detained individuals.
16:53In a significant move amid Israel's ongoing ethnic cleansing operation in Gaza, the United
16:59Kingdom announced the suspension of trade negotiations with Tel Aviv.
17:03The decision comes amid growing criticism of the lack of humanitarian aid access and the
17:08suffering of civilian specialist children in the coastal enclave.
17:12UK authorities, which until recently supported the bombing of Gaza, will implement new sanctions
17:17against Israeli settlers in the West Bank.
17:20For its part, the Israeli government rejected the decision stating that it would not be swayed
17:23by external pressure.
17:32We repeat our demand for a ceasefire as the only way to free the hostages.
17:38We repeat our opposition to settlements in the West Bank.
17:42Amen.
17:43And we repeat our demand to massively scale up humanitarian assistance into Gaza.
17:49The recent announcement that Israel will allow a basic quantity of food into Gaza, a basic
17:57quantity, is totally and utterly inadequate.
18:01Amen.
18:02Like this, we have come to the end of this news brief.
18:07You can find this and many other stories on our website at www.telesorenglish.net.
18:10So join us on social media, Facebook, Instagram, Telegram and TikTok.
18:15For Telesor English, I'm Luis Alberto Matos.
18:17Thanks for watching.