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NewsTranscript
00:00Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro referred to the implications for the U.S. if Chevron
00:15abandons Venezuela. There are only a few hours left for the 133 cardinals who will elect Pope
00:26France's successor to enter the conclave. And Friedrich Merz, leader of Germany's
00:35conservative Christian Democratic Union, failed to become the country's 10th
00:39Chancellor, falling short in the first round of voting in Parliament.
00:44Hello and welcome to From the South. My name is Belén de los Santos. I'm from
00:52Tesla Studios in Havana, Cuba. We'll begin with the news.
01:07Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro referred to the implications for the U.S. if Chevron
01:12abandons Venezuela. During his program, Con Maduro Mas, the Bolivarian leader, assured that
01:17the Venezuelan state will comply with its commitments to Chevron despite the cease of its operations
01:23in Venezuela imposed by the U.S. government at the request of the Venezuelan extreme right
01:28wing. He also mentioned that Venezuela will continue its path in the oil field, producing
01:34and bringing its oil to the international market. Venezuela, as the Vice President and Minister
01:47of Hydrocarbons have said, Venezuela will continue to comply with everything agreed and signed with
01:54Chevron. Everything. And who is hurting Chevron is this group and the government of the United States.
02:01The workers have the capacity for these oil fields to continue producing, and there are workers,
02:07not only presidents, who will continue to produce, but we have a plan to grow production in all these
02:14oil fields. Venezuela will not be stopped by anyone. Who is being harmed is Chevron. Venezuela will
02:22continue its path in the oil field, producing and bringing the Venezuelan product to the international
02:28market, which we have guaranteed.
02:34In Venezuelan, President Nicolás Maduro called European elites ungrateful for underestimating the
02:40decisive role of the Soviet army and people in liberating Europe during the Second World War.
02:46In his program called Maduro Mas on the 80th anniversary of the end of the Great Patriotic War,
02:52the president stressed that the Soviet victory over the Nazi machine was the greatest historical
02:57achievement known in any war. In this sense, the Venezuelan president underlined that it was the
03:02Russian army that discovered the Nazi concentration camps and revealed to the world the crimes of the
03:08Holocaust in the Holocaust in which millions of innocent people lost their lives.
03:17In other news, Colombian authorities reported the capture of 217 members of the Gulf clan in response
03:24to the pistol plan that has caused the death of around 20 uniformed personnel, including 16 police officers
03:31and five military personnel. In addition, 15 drug traffickers were killed in related operations and 6.8
03:39tons of drugs, 123 firearms and more than 15,000 rounds of ammunition were seized. The coordination
03:47offensive has been underway since April 15th in various departments of the country, such as Bolívar,
03:53Antioquia, Córdoba, Chocó and Magdalena, in the midst of the worst spike in violence in Colombia in the
04:00last decade. The clan, with more than 7,500 members, is the country's largest cartel and the world's lead
04:08and cocaine producer. And residents of Colombia's largest migrant camp, La Pista, are facing worsening
04:19conditions after U.S. President Donald Trump ordered the closure of U.S. aid and froze aid funds in January
04:26of 2025. Over 9,000 people living in the camp have lost access to essential support from U.S. funded NGOs,
04:34which previously provided food, water, healthcare, education and protection for children. Now, food and water are
04:41scarce, medical care is only available for life-threatening emergencies, and children are increasingly
04:47vulnerable to exploitation and recruitment by criminal groups. Programs that once supported small businesses and
04:54provided direct financial assistance have ended, leaving families without income or hope for improvement.
05:00The overall effect is a deepening humanitarian crisis, with many residents feeling powerless and abandoned.
05:14The U.S. government announced on Monday that Harvard will stop receiving new federal funding, intensifying the conflict
05:20between the White House and the prestigious university. Secretary of Education Linda McCommum communicated the decision
05:28in a letter to Rector Alan Garber, accusing Harvard of violating federal laws, allowing racism and anti-Semitism
05:36on campus, and failing to comply with a Supreme Court ruling that bans admissions based on racial criteria. As a result,
05:44$2.2 billion in already allocated federal funds were frozen and are under review for up to $9 billion in total.
05:56Harvard responded by filing a federal lawsuit, arguing that the withdrawal of funds is illegal, exceeds the
06:02government's powers, and represents an attack on university autonomy and freedom of speech protected by the First Amendment.
06:10We now move on to other topics. There are only a few hours left for the 133 Cardinals, who will elect Pope Francis' successor
06:22to enter the Conclave. Strong security measures are in place throughout the city and especially in the Sistine Chapel.
06:29The word Conclave comes from the Latin cum clave, which means under lock and key, and that is how the members of the Colleague of Cardinals
06:38will be from 4.30 p.m. local time on Wednesday. 133 Cardinals from 71 countries will elect the 267th Pope of the Catholic Church,
06:50that gathers more than 1.36 billion faithful. The strict security measures that must now deal with the technological challenges
07:00order the deactivation of cell phones starting at 3 p.m. local time. Signal jammers will also be activated in all areas surrounding the Sistine Chapel.
07:10From Cardinals to service personnel must take an oath of secrecy under penalty of automatic excommunication.
07:18Now we have a short break coming up, but first, remember you can join us on TikTok at Tell Us Your English,
07:26where you will find news in different formats, news updates and much more. We'll be right back. Stay with us.
07:32Welcome back to From the South. In Chile, more than 90% of the cases of human rights violations are closed without culprits.
07:54In this context, six years have passed since young Chilean Gustavo Gatica lost both eyes due to police repression
08:00during the popular revolt of October of 2019. Our colleague Paola Dragnik brings us more details.
08:08Ana Maria carries the black and white photograph of her father and her little brother, both detained and disappeared by the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet.
08:20To these photographs, she now adds those of the victims of the social uprising of October 2019.
08:26If they used it to make our people disappear, now they mutilate them. They leave them blind. They force them to commit suicide.
08:36Jorge Salvo, one day before committing suicide, he was with us. It was impressive. So that can happen to us again.
08:44Here, memory is the main thing. Memory is the part. It is the basis of a true democratic system.
08:50But Chile seems to forget quickly and accumulate impunity in its history.
09:00There are already five young people who have taken their own lives after having their eyes mutilated by carabineros.
09:07That is why actions like the one we are taking today are necessary. To repudiate impunity. To repudiate denialism.
09:18But also immorality. When Crespo vindicates having shot in the eyes.
09:24Because here we are not only talking about Gustavo Gatica. We are talking about hundreds of young people who have had the eyesight mutilated.
09:36Gustavo lost both eyes due to Claudio Crespo gunshots. An ex-lieutenant who revindicates his actions on social networks despite the brutal evidence in the videos leaked by Cypher magazine.
09:49We believe that the videos that have recently been released from the carabineros that correspond to Claudio Crespo will be relevant when making a decision.
10:00Because although they are not from the day of the events, they do demonstrate the conduct that he carried out when he was a carabineros officer and directed his subordinates.
10:10These are some of the videos. Listen for yourself.
10:17I am going to scratch your eyes out. You hear?
10:22Six years have passed and for justice, the more than 400 cases of ocular trauma have not been enough.
10:30Impunity is something that marks a society. And unfortunately, Chile knows this. Today, we are once again facing many trials for human rights violations in democracy.
10:43And 90% of the cases are closed without conviction.
10:47They know it's difficult. There is a despair among the survivors. But at least, they hope that Crespo will serve jail time for the crime against Gustavo Gatica.
10:59This also generates in society a normalization of violence, a distrust of institutions, and obviously, the persecution of people who demonstrate to demand rights in a favorite society.
11:14Persecution by the state and the media, but also social criminalization.
11:21Well, I call on the common people to be well informed that we are not criminals. That the great majority, more than the 99%, I believe, of the people who went out to protest, and who were injured in the protest, were working people.
11:38The more than 460 mutilated eyes were those of working people.
11:47And that today, they expect some justice.
11:53In Bolivia, the inflation index registered a reduction of 0.9% in April. The Statistics Institute reported that this is the lowest inflation in the last seven months. Our correspondent, Freddy Morales, tells us the details.
12:08The National Statistics Institute announced that last April's inflation index is the lowest in the last seven months.
12:15We have recorded inflation of 0.9%. A downward trend. It was recalled that in addition to political conflicts that generated prolonged road blockades last year, inflation is fueled by the shortage of dollars and speculation in all prices.
12:37Let us not forget that to the extent that there is more foreign currency in the exchange market, the exchange rate should decrease.
12:50For example, if exporters were to liquidate their exports in the country and not leave their dollars outside, and if the credits that are stalled in the Plurinational Legislative Assembly were approved, there would be greater availability of dollars.
13:06It was pointed out that the government is making efforts to contain price speculation and inflation.
13:13This is very good news for the country, because there is control. There is an economic policy of the state that is trying, through dialogue, to generate conditions, to say that I will no longer charge tariffs for the benefit of the citizens, to try to contain in any way, for example, to pay 390 cents.
13:35The economic problems are accentuated, according to the government, by its electoral use due to the proximity of the national elections in August.
13:42The opposition, which controls the legislature, blocked all government initiatives, including the approval of more than 1.8 billion dollars in international credits.
13:49It is the political crisis that generates uncertainty. Uncertainty generates demand for products.
13:56And when traders see that demand, they raise the prices of inputs and food. There is another point, it is smuggling in reverse.
14:03When you go to the border with Bermenio and Yaquiza, you see thousands of Argentines buying products produced.
14:10In Bolivia, it is a political crisis that is a political crisis that generates uncertainty. Uncertainty generates demand for products.
14:17And when traders see that demand, they raise the prices of inputs and food. There is another point, it is smuggling in reverse.
14:23When you go to the border with Bermenio and Yaquiza, you see thousands of Argentines buying products produced in Bolivia.
14:36After more than a decade of economic stability and low inflation, last year the country reached double digits with 10.66% accumulated inflation in the 12 months.
14:50The crisis began with a shortage of dollars due to a drop in natural gas exports, which led to fuel shortages and a general increase in prices.
14:59Freddie Morales, Telesur, Bolivia.
15:03We have a second short break coming up, but before we invite you to visit our Facebook page at Telesur English.
15:08There you'll be able to watch our top stories, special live coverages and much more.
15:12Follow our page and activate the notification button to stay up to date on the world's most recent events.
15:17Final short break, don't go away.
15:29Welcome back to From the South. We continue with more information.
15:40Friedrich Merz, leader of Germany's Conservative Christian Democratic Union, surprisingly failed to become the country's tenth chancellor,
15:48falling short by six votes in the first round of voting in Parliament.
15:52Merz needed 316 votes in the secret ballot held on Tuesday, but he received only 310.
16:00This is the first time that a candidate for German chancellor had ever failed to secure an absolute majority in the first round of voting.
16:09The Conservative Alliance, led by Merz, had topped the polls in the national elections in February,
16:15but still required at least one coalition partner to form a majority government.
16:19The Bundestag, Germany's lower House of Parliament, has 14 days to elect the chancellor, either Merz or another candidate,
16:26who will need an outright majority.
16:49We continue with other topics.
16:50Gaza authorities have warned the enclaves hospitals are just 48 hours away from total collapse due to the Israeli blockade.
16:58The Gaza Ministry of Health has warned that the remaining fuel will only be enough for two days,
17:04leaving critical units such as the ICU, operating rooms and neonatology without functioning.
17:10According to the statement, the situation has deteriorated rapidly since the weekend,
17:15when the local Ministry of Health indicated that the available fuel supply would be enough for only three days,
17:21later updating the figure to two days.
17:24For more than two months, Israel has maintained a tight blockade on the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza,
17:30even though the Gazan authorities have announced that this measure prevents access to the fuel necessary for the hospitals to function.
17:37There is no doubt that we in the hospitals and health facilities in the Gaza Strip are now entering a real crisis in all hospitals
17:50due to the lack of diesel needed to operate the necessary electric generators that are essential to providing medical services,
17:57whether they be surgical operations or care for patients in the intensive care units,
18:03in the nurseries for children, for kidney patients and also in the overnight departments.
18:10In Cuba, the extensive program of the Romerias de Mayo and its 32nd celebration includes around 20 events in multiple squares of the city,
18:30among conferences, plastic and scenic arts shows and other activities.
18:35This multicultural event takes place in Olguín.
18:38Our colleague Jordani Rodriguez tells us about it.
18:45Since 1994, the cultural event has turned Olguín into the capital of young art in Cuba.
18:52Mexico is part of the 80 countries that are present in this 32nd edition of the Romerias de Mayo,
18:57the premiere in Cuba of the Opera of La Mulata de Córdoba,
19:01by composer José Pablo Moncayo of the Aztec country,
19:05is part of the wave range of auctions,
19:07the Rodrigo Pratt Lyric Theater,
19:09the Olguín Symphony Orchestra,
19:11as well as choristers and musicians from Mexico,
19:14joining this song from solidarity among nations under the orchestral direction of Maestro Isaac Márquez.
19:20It is wonderful, because both in the Lyric Theater and in the orchestra,
19:27there are first-year students and even professionals,
19:30and it is an integral experience for everyone.
19:32Since the group is heterogeneous,
19:34you have to know how to work so that everyone sounds the same,
19:37and that they are at the same level.
19:39Among the most aware spaces of the Romerias is the 30th edition of the Congress of Thought and Prize for Young Research's Memoria Nuestra.
19:51This is a meeting of deep reflection inspired by the analytical vocation and social commitment of the artists attending the Romerias.
19:59It is the first time that I am in Olguín, in Romerias,
20:07and the truth is that I have been surprised by the amount of activities they have.
20:11We start very early, about 4 in the morning.
20:13It is to come prepared to not sleep and to see many activities of all kinds,
20:18performing arts, visual arts,
20:20and a super important part that has caught my attention is the academic part.
20:25At Bloguerias de Mayo, an event that brings together communicators, journalists, and other actors in the media,
20:37there was also a dialogue on ethics, values, and principles in contemporary communications
20:41in the midst of a world that is trying to globalize.
20:44The ethical and legal challenge of the use of artificial intelligence in the media were discussed at the event.
20:50We have to go ahead and demonstrate that artificial intelligence is a tool that we can put in value from views of ethics,
20:58from the journalistic trait and exercise, not humanizing them but using them as a tool.
21:03We must give them the elements for good use and apply them from good practices.
21:08Organized by the SAIS Brothers organization, an organization of the artistic and literary vanguard of the country,
21:18the Romerias de Mayo are the epicenter of the art between tradition and modernity.
21:22We arrived with flutes, with different types of instruments today to donate as part of a project that has been made cultural exchange
21:33and donations of about a thousand musical instruments to Cuba for more than 25 years.
21:39This is a beautiful city.
21:42The Romerias de Mayo were born for the debate, the confrontation of ideas and the alternative and vital discussion that the island needs.
21:53We are talking about an intergenerational dialogue from May 2 to 8 because there is no today without yesterday.
22:00Camerographer Eida La Pera, Jordanis Rodriguez-Laurencio, Telesur, Holguin, Cuba.
22:09And like this, we have come to the end of this news brief.
22:11You can find this and many other stories on our website at TelesurEnglish.net.
22:15And join us on social media. We are on Facebook, X, Instagram, Telegram and also on TikTok.
22:20For Telesur English, my name is Belen de los Santos. Thank you for watching.