19/09/2025 FTS 16.30 *Defense forum in China rejects U.S. deployment in the Caribbean Sea. *Late-Night Show suspension sparks concern over freedom of speech under Trump. teleSUR
00:00The President of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, called on all Venezuelan people to offer their
00:16absolute support to the Bolivarian National Armed Forces during his review of the military
00:21community brigades. The 6th China Latin American High-Level Defense Forum was held in Beijing
00:29with growing condemnation of the United States' aggressive operations in the Caribbean.
00:37And in the United States, the suspension of Jimmy Kimmel's late-night TV show has
00:42sparked concerns for the state of freedom of speech in the nation.
00:50Hello, welcome to From the South. I'm Alejandra Garcia from Telesur Studios in Habana, Cuba.
00:55We begin with the news. Stay with us.
00:59The President of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, led on Thursday the review of the work of the
01:14Military Communal Brigades for Education and Health, Brico Miles. In this context, he called on all
01:20Venezuelan people to offer their absolute support to the Bolivarian National Armed Forces, which are
01:25deployed in defense of the sovereignty and security of the Venezuelan Caribbean in the face of recent
01:31U.S. threats. The Bolivarian President highlighted the military drills carried out in the country's
01:36territorial waters as a way to reaffirm the nation's legitimate right to protect its territory. He also
01:43denounced the false narratives promoted by the U.S. government and warned that there is an
01:48imperialist plan to bring about a change of government in Venezuela. In this context,
01:56Venezuelan Minister of Defense Vladimir Padrino López offered details of the Caribe Soberano 200
02:02exercise held on the island of La Orchila in the insular territory Francisco de Miranda. The minister
02:09informed that the 72-hour land and naval air exercise is still underway, and so far, it has been carried out,
02:16according to plan. The activities have been carried out in perfect popular military and police fusion,
02:23which has allowed to increase the operational readiness of the National Bolivarian Armed Forces.
02:29Padrino reaffirmed that under the premise of drug trafficking, the U.S. administration has
02:35wanted to discredit and eliminate democratic Venezuelan institutionality. In the face of this
02:41scenario of aggression to national sovereignty, the joint campaign maneuver Caribe Soberano 200 has
02:48demonstrated the effectiveness of the synergies in defense of the homeland.
02:58We stay in Venezuela, where the National Council for Sovereignty and Peace reported on the operations
03:04carried out by the central government to guarantee the defense and territorial integrity. The spokesperson of the
03:09Council for Sovereignty and Peace Jorge Rodriguez reported on the formation of international networks
03:16to join forces in the interest of preserving peace and sovereignty in the region. Rodriguez also highlighted
03:22the commitment of the Venezuelan people to defending the territory and their absolute rejection of any
03:28form of aggression against Venezuela. Rodriguez also announced the upcoming establishment of state and
03:34sectoral councils in all fishing states of the country.
03:45Also in Venezuela, supermarket shelves are filled with the products made in the country, a reality that
03:50the imperial media does not show and that is reflected not only in figures but also in the
03:56feeling of its inhabitants. Andrea Romero tells us more.
03:59In recent years, the Venezuelan economy has undergone a significant transformation, with the Bolivar
04:10regaining ground as the main currency and the supply of domestic products, which translates into confidence
04:15and growing independence. On supermarket shelves, 90 percent of products are domestically produced,
04:26which deserves applause. 95 percent of transactions today are in Bolivars.
04:45And as of yesterday, according to the latest information, 30 supermarkets have opened throughout the country in 2025,
04:57with a goal of 40 stores for this year compared to 61 in 2024.
05:08According to analyst Raymond Martinez, this is the result of macroeconomic policies focused on strengthening the use of the local currency rather than foreign currencies.
05:19We are building confidence in the Bolivar again through monetary policies, aimed at reducing consumption and trade related to currency issues,
05:30and by promoting technical advice through banking services. Everything related to digital commerce,
05:36making room for everything related to promoting the use of the current currency, which is the Bolivar.
05:41Congressman Ramón Lobo details how this steady growth in Venezuelan production has been sustained despite external threats.
05:55Hell, since the third quarter of 2021,
06:00the productive apparatus has been growing at a gross rate.
06:05Let us remember that this has been motivated by the sanctions scheme that was established in Venezuela,
06:11in response to a systematic and psychological campaign,
06:18whose primary objective is to intimidate and sow anxiety among the Venezuelan people.
06:25This also has a clear and definite objective, which is to immobilize the productive apparatus.
06:33They seek to paralyze economic agents by creating negative expectations of uncertainty and insecurity.
06:39Economic stability has a direct impact on citizens by giving them greater access to a wider range of products in supermarkets.
06:50There are Venezuelan products. We have flour, rice, pasta, grains, butter. I think there is a lot of variety.
06:56Venezuela moves toward greater economic independence and sovereignty.
07:01Now we go to Colombia, where President Gustavo Petro officially handed over 18,000 hectares of land
07:13to approximately 5,000 farmers from the Magdalena-Medio region.
07:17The land transfer ceremony took place at the Ventura-Castillo Coliseum in the Western Department of Caldas.
07:26This action represents a significant step toward a gradient reform in the country,
07:31a commitment that Petro considers crucial to democratizing land ownership and combating rural inequality.
07:38The President emphasized that in a context of historical violence related to land tenure,
07:44it is urgent to guarantee a productive and peaceful future for Colombian farmers.
07:4918,000 hectares out of 40,000.
08:0740,000 that should increase is not enough. Magdalena-Medio is one of the priority areas
08:16of the agrarian reform. And we have to produce, not just have land. It is of no use to us to have land
08:24if we do not work it, and to work it, we need technology, education, and money. And cooperation must continue.
08:35Because a farmer alone begins to lose his strength, and only by helping each other, the family,
08:42the farmer, and the local community. Can we move production forward?
08:53Remember, you can join us on TikTok at Telesur English, where you'll find news in different formats,
08:57in sub-dates, and much more. We'll be right back. Stay with us.
09:12Welcome back to From the South. Telecommunications Fair Fetalven continues in Venezuela, boosting the
09:20cooperation at a national and regional level on key technological areas. Our correspondent,
09:25Ana Marrero, is there to tell us all about it.
09:28Well, we are at the Fetalven 2025, and the people have come here to learn about what is technology,
09:39telecommunication, fiber optics, robotics too. And this has been so futuristic, really has been.
09:47We have a lot of things here. The people that have came are just learning about technology,
09:55telecommunication, and well, this has been really mixed topics in here. We had earlier,
10:02a battle of the ones that can build a system of fiber optics the most fast as they can.
10:11Here are some of the staff. There are more than 100 staff and more than 100 enterprises that are here
10:21at the Fetalven 2025. And we have more information because we'll be covering this event tomorrow,
10:29Saturday, and on Sunday, which is the last day. And we think we have much more activities. So,
10:37more information to you. Next. Thank you, Ana, for the report. And now we move to other
10:45informations. On Friday, the 6th China Latin American High Level Defense Forum was held
10:51in Beijing, with growing condemnation of the United States' aggressive operations in the Caribbean.
10:56The meeting took place in the framework of the Xi'an Shan Forum, with the participation of defense and
11:02military officials from China and 18 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, who pledge deeper
11:08cooperation on security matters. The event is relevant in light of the tensions generated by the
11:14nuclear-capable warfare contingent that the United States has deployed in the region. Beijing has called
11:22on Washington to stop forcing Latin American countries to choose sides and demands respect for
11:28the sovereignty and independence of each nation. And on Thursday, the authorities of Nicaragua's
11:38capital Managua and the Chinese city of Hangzhou signed a twinning agreement with the aim of promoting
11:45joint projects and strengthening exchanges in areas of mutual interest. Nicaraguan advisor for
11:51investment and international cooperation Laureano Ortega Murillo highlighted the progress made
11:57since the restoration of diplomatic relations and emphasizes the importance of maintaining direct
12:03contact. Among the sectors with the greatest potential for collaboration are fisheries, logistics,
12:10electronics, cement and steel. For his part, the director of the Hangzhou Standing Committee,
12:16Ji Jung-min expressed his gratitude for the welcome and pointed out that this alliance will generate
12:23concrete benefits for both cities and serve as an example of cooperation between China and Latin America.
12:33Now we go to Mexico, where President Claudia Sheinbaum led the flag rising ceremony in memory of the
12:39victims of the earthquake that struck the country in 1985 and 2017. A tribute to the victims of the
12:46earthquake is being held in the Socalo of Mexico City with the participation of members of the Executive
12:53and the National Armed Forces who paraded as part of the ceremony. Throughout the day, the second
12:58National Earthquake Drill 2025 will be realized, responding to the need to continue strengthening
13:06prevention and preparedness for emergencies throughout the country. The National Coordination of Civil
13:12Protection has called on public and private institutions and the general public to actively participate in
13:18the drill by following the established protocols.
13:30We have a second show already coming up. Don't go away. We'll be right back.
13:42Welcome back to From the South. Now we go to the United States. The suspension of Jimmy Kimmel's
13:49late night TV show has sparked concerns for the state of freedom of speech in that nation. ABC
13:55Network suspended the program on Tuesday following the host's comments about the assassination of far
14:01right activist Charlie Kirk on September 10th. The measure has been denounced by several organizations as
14:08a blatant assault on freedom of expression with fellow late night show hosts firing fiery remarks at ABC's
14:16parent company, Disney, and the Federal Communications Commission. The action, which has also sparked protests
14:24outside the network's headquarters in Los Angeles and New York, has been widely regarded as part of a
14:29broader trend where major media companies are increasingly aligning with right-wing views supported by Trump to
14:36protect their business interests at the expense of free speech.
14:46Trump has been threatening Kimmel for years. He pressured him to get Colbert off the air. He said Kimmel was next.
14:57So it's not a surprise, but it is like a gun punch. It is a huge escalation.
15:03The writers guild is determined. We stand in solidarity with not only our fellow writers,
15:09but with everybody. We make our living with our words, right? We know the value of words,
15:14and this is a chilling effect. Jimmy Kimmel being having his show preempted by ABC because of comments
15:20that he made that the president disagreed with is part of a larger pattern of fascism. We as Americans
15:28have to accept the fact that we have fascism in the United States right now.
15:35In this context, Senate Democrats introduced a bill on Thursday to protect free speech while
15:40decreeing Kimmel suspension. Last night they showed us exactly how serious they are. Trump's FCC forced
15:54a major network to pull a loud Trump critic, Jimmy Kimmel, off the air, essentially saying that any media
16:00actor that doesn't say what Trump wants them to say about Charlie Kirk or Trump's policies is going to be
16:06silenced. That's censorship. That's state speech control. That's not America.
16:24Israel forces closed the second access road to the city of Gaza and announced an unprecedented
16:42offensive on the enclave during the fourth day of the army's ground invasion of the Gaza Strip.
16:48Occupation forces are moving into the center of the coastal enclave where hundreds of Gazans still remain
16:54in the territory amid ongoing attacks. The people of Palestine are still resisting and refuse to be
17:01expelled despite the Israeli armies ordering the evacuation to begin the military incursion.
17:07Likewise, the residents denounced the ethnic clinging that is taking place
17:12with attacks on neighborhoods full of civilians, including women and children.
17:16Meanwhile, on Friday, Israel announced the indefinite closure of two border crossings with Jordan.
17:26The measure comes as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu blames Jordan for an incident that occurred on
17:32Thursday at the Allen by King Hussein crossing, which left two Israeli soldiers dead. In response,
17:39Tel Aviv is tightening controls on trucks arriving from Amman with supplies for the Gaza Strip, including
17:46more strict inspections and metal detector checks. The closure affects the Allen by crossing, which
17:54connects Jordan to the West Bank and the Jordan River crossing, limiting the movement of Palestinians and
18:00the entry of humanitarian aid.
18:08And with this information from Palestine, we have come to the end of this brief. Remember,
18:13you can find this and many other stories on our website at telasurenglish.net.
18:18Also join us on social media. We are on Facebook, Instagram, Telegram and TikTok as well.
18:24For Telasur English, I'm Alejandra Garcia. Thank you for watching.
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