FTS 20:30 13-01: Venezuelans continue mobilizing for return of Pres. Maduro, 1st Lady Cilia Flores

17 hours ago

13/01/2026
FTS 20.30
*Bolivian’ COB denounces government failed to repeal Decree 5503 as agreed.
*UNICEF warns of impact of humanitarian crisis on Sudanese children.
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Transcript

00:00On Tuesday, thousands of Venezuelans from the transportation sector mobilized in the

00:13city of Caracas to demand the release of kidnapped president Nicolás Maduro First Lady Celia Flores.

00:18The Bolivian Workers Central Union declares a state of emergency after the national government

00:27failed to comply with the Memorandum of Understanding following the agreement to repel Decree 5503.

00:36And the United Nations Children's Fund reported that more than 100 children in Gaza have lost

00:42their lives since October 2025.

00:48Hello and welcome to From the South, I'm Alejandra Garcia from Telesur Studios in Havana, Cuba.

00:53We begin with the news.

01:07On Tuesday, thousands of Venezuelans from the transportation sector mobilized in the city

01:11of Caracas to demand the release of President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Celia Flores.

01:17From the Vallecosha Highway in the city of Caracas, the great caravan of the transportation sector,

01:22urges the return of the kidnapped head of state forcefully abducted in the night of January

01:283rd together with his wife during the military attack perpetrated by the United States government

01:34on Venezuelan territory.

01:36On different means of transportation and carrying banners and flags, sector workers also reaffirmed

01:42under absolute support for the Bolivarian revolution.

01:51Vice President for Religious Affairs of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro Guerra,

01:58denounced on Tuesday the U.S. intervention in his country and demanded the release of President

02:03Nicolás Maduro Motors and First Combate and Celia Flores.

02:09We demand on behalf of the Venezuelan people, on behalf of millions of women and men who

02:14on July the 28th, 2024 voted for Nicolás Maduro, the return of the Constitutional President

02:20of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and Dr. Celia Flores, who is a Deputy of the Bolivarian

02:31Republic of Venezuela, 25 years as a Deputy and four times President of the National Assembly.

02:38And that is our victory in the first place, to remain united, not to let anything divide

02:43us.

02:50It is clear that they will try to sow discord, it is clear that they will try to say things

02:54to confuse the people, and when that happens, let's have political and ideological clarity

02:59and seek the source for true information.

03:05On the other hand, Maduro Guerra called on transport workers around the world and described

03:10what had happened in Venezuela a violation of the all international rules.

03:18We call on the drivers around the world, the transport workers in Latin America, Mexico,

03:24Colombia, Central America, Brazil and Argentina.

03:34We call on the transport workers in the United States.

03:37We call on the transport workers in Europe, the United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, France and

03:48Asia.

03:49What happened in Venezuela broke all the codes and all international rules.

03:54Also in Venezuela the government ceases new drug shipments as part of the fight against

04:02drug trafficking.

04:03The vice president for policy, citizen security and peace, Gustavo Cabello, provided an update

04:09on military operations in the context of the fight against drugs throughout Venezuela.

04:14The official identified that during the actions new drug seizures were made, which represents

04:20a serious blow to drug trafficking.

04:22In this regard, he added that drugs are not circulating in the territory and therefore the United States

04:28should focus its operations on other countries.

04:37They know it.

04:38They know that no drugs are being trafficked here at this moment.

04:41It is not here.

04:44So they should look elsewhere.

04:46Here we have security forces who know how to do their job.

04:49Men and women who are at the forefront of this task.

04:52And the vice president for policy, citizen security and peace, Gustavo Cabello, emphasized

04:59that the false narrative about the Cartel de los Soles had to be denied by the US authorities

05:04themselves after lacking arguments.

05:06The Cartel de los Soles has never existed.

05:12It has never existed.

05:13Ever.

05:14It was a narrative.

05:16And it was not the reason for the attack.

05:18The reason for the attack was our oil.

05:21The reason for the attack was our wealth.

05:23We never felt addressed when they talked about the Cartel de los Soles or criminal gangs.

05:32Never.

05:33But when it comes to wealth, yes, Venezuela does have a lot of wealth.

05:37And we do feel completely addressed.

05:40So that was not the reason at all.

05:46It did not have any foundation whatsoever.

05:48It was a narrative.

05:49A big lie used by some sectors and already debunked, debunked by the same people that

05:54used it because it didn't have any foundation.

06:00Also the president of the National Assembly of Venezuela, Jorge Rodriguez, confirmed the

06:05release of more than 400 people from prison as part of the actions to preserve the stability

06:10of the Venezuelan nation.

06:12During a regular session of the assembly, Rodriguez explained that the recent releases from prison

06:17have been duly recovered by the authorities and that they are the only ones authorized

06:22to provide figures and details about these processes.

06:26Also during the session, the legislative body made progress in the constitution of its

06:30committees and inter-parliamentary friendship groups with the aim of denouncing the United

06:36States aggression against the country.

06:38In addition, Rodriguez specified that the massive process of releases from prison initiated by

06:44the National Executive is aimed at promoting peaceful coexistence and national unity.

06:51To date, more than 400 people have been released from prison, the first 160, on December 23, 2024.

07:05I will provide you with a list if you would like to see it, deputy.

07:10If we are going to promote peaceful coexistence, we have to rectify, we have to look for mechanisms

07:16where there is parsimony, encounter, and tone down the arrogance a little, but you have to

07:26tone down the meanness, deputy.

07:28You have to tone down the constant shooting from the waist because an institution as disreputable

07:34as the criminal forum says one thing, it says something else.

07:38If you want to see the quotes, we will make them available to you in their entirety, and

07:48they are approaching 400 people today, and will continue to do so, not because you don't

07:54ask for them, but because the Bolivarian government had already announced it as a unilateral gesture

08:00by the government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.

08:07The president of the legislature, Jorge Rodriguez, appointed the members of the friendship groups

08:12emphasizing that they were created as a diplomatic tool to overcome the institutional blockage

08:18against the Venezuelan nation.

08:23The work of the legislature between the years 21 and 25 was precisely the profusely and massive

08:30formation of friendship groups with countries around the world, which allowed us to develop

08:36a process of parliamentary diplomacy, which in many moments and in many aspects overcame

08:44the siege to which we had been subjected by disreputable institutions, completely empty institutions.

08:52What is the name of that organization you have, the World Inter-Parliamentary Union, that

08:56piece of trash.

08:58We managed to overcome it through the work of parliamentary diplomacy, direct relations with the parliaments

09:04of the world, of rapprochement and solidarity, expressed by the parliaments of the world, in the face

09:13of the aggression suffered by the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.

09:17That is why we urged the deputies to form their own opinion groups, to form and work actively

09:23in friendship groups.

09:25And we stay in Venezuela.

09:30Acting President Delcy Rodriguez held a meeting with authorities from the United Arab Emirates.

09:35Within the framework of Bolivarian peace diplomacy, the president held a high-level meeting in the

09:41capital city with the Secretary-General of the Supreme Council for National Security of the

09:45United Arab Emirates, Ali Mohamed Hamad al-Shamsi.

09:49The bilateral agenda seeks to expand cooperation beyond the energy sector, covering commercial,

09:56economic and social areas.

09:58The meeting aims to promote joint development and reaffirm economic independence in the face

10:02of external pressures.

10:04In this sense, the consolidation of cooperation ties with the United Arab Emirates marks a new

10:08step in the construction of a multipolar order based on respect and mutual benefit.

10:20Also in this context, the Interlaces company showed high approval ratings among Venezuelans

10:26for Acting President Delcy Rodriguez and strong rejection of foreign aggressions.

10:32The figures show that 79% of Venezuelans have a favorable opinion of the current President,

10:38Delcy Rodriguez, a figure that rises to 92% among Chavistas.

10:43At the same time, the country strongly rejects any external aggression, 95% oppose U.S. military

10:52aggression and 94% reject the kidnapping of President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Celia Flores.

10:58In this context, 91% of Venezuelans believe that it is time to stand united and support

11:04the President.

11:08And now we have a short break coming up.

11:10But first remember, you can join us on TikTok at Telesur English, where you will find news

11:14in different formats, news updates and much more.

11:18Stay with us.

11:19Welcome back to From the South.

11:26We go now to Cuba.

11:29President Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez visited the Venezuelan Embassy in Havana to sign the

11:33Book of Condolences of four of the 32 Cuban martyrs who died during the U.S. attack on

11:38January 3rd and the kidnapping of President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Celia Flores.

11:44During his visit, President Miguel Díaz-Canel paid tribute to the martyrs Andrea Fromm,

11:49the brotherhood between both peoples and the firm condemnation of imperialist attempts

11:54in the region.

11:55The remains of the 32 Cubans who fell in the line of duty in Venezuela will arrive in the

12:00country this Thursday, January 15th.

12:04The first tribute will be at the José Martí International Airport and then they will be

12:09transferred along Rancho Boyeros Avenue to the headquarters of the Ministry of the Revolutionary

12:14Armed Forces.

12:16Starting at 10am the public may go to the Ministry of Armed Forces headquarters to pay tribute.

12:21On the 16th tributes will be held in the territories of each of the combatants and simultaneously

12:27ceremonies will be held in all municipalities.

12:30The remains will be buried at 4pm on January 16th.

12:40Also army troops in western, central and eastern Cuba began preparations for the defence of the

12:45country in addition to ratifying the readiness of the Revolutionary Armed Forces to protect

12:50national sovereignty.

12:52The institution reported that these combat preparation exercises are intended to measure and increase

12:58the response capacity of the armed forces in any scenario that threatens national security.

13:03In addition, they emphasised that the activities included combined classes in military units,

13:09tactical classes, shooting classes and practical exercises by air defence units.

13:15Finally, they emphasised that territorial activities facilitate the participation of the Cuban

13:20people in the defence of the island's sovereignty and peace.

13:28Also the Balevarian Alliance for the Peoples of America, ALPA TCP issued a statement expressing

13:33its strongest support and solidarity with the people and government of the Republic of Cuba,

13:38President Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez and also Army General Raul Castro Ruz in the defence

13:43of their sovereignty and independence.

13:45The statement reads,

13:46The alliance recognises and values the historical trajectory of Cuban foreign policy built upon

13:53a doctrine of independence, national dignity and profound commitment to multilateralism throughout

14:00its history.

14:01Cuba has demonstrated a steadfast commitment to international cooperation, solidarity among

14:07peoples and respect for the norms of international law, contributing consistently to understanding

14:13peace and collective well-being, especially for the benefit of the countries in the Global

14:18South.

14:19The statement concludes, ALPA urges the international community and multilateral organisations to maintain

14:25their firm and unwavering support for the Republic of Cuba in accordance with the resolutions

14:31repeatedly and overwhelmingly adopted by the United Nations General Assembly demanding the

14:35lifting of the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed against that country, and to contribute

14:42responsibility to peace, stability and cooperation in Latin America and the Caribbean.

14:53In other news, the Bolivian Workers Central Union declares a state of emergency after the

14:58national government failed to comply with the Memorandum of Understanding following the agreement

15:02to repel Decree 5503.

15:05The Central Union denounced the fact that the executive unilaterally replaced the decree without

15:10the participation of the Commission agreed upon in the negotiations.

15:14In this context, the decree that replaces 5503 maintains the elimination of hydrocarbon subsidies,

15:21fuel price increases, social compensation policies and free wage negotiations.

15:28In response, the trade union declares a state of emergency while seeking new measures to pressure

15:33the government of the government of Rodrigo Paz.

15:35At present, at least 18 roads are reported to be blocked due to protests in the Department

15:40of Cochabamba.

15:48Now we go to Brazil.

15:49As the Health Ministry increases the amount of medicines and medical supplies being sent to

15:53Venezuela from 100 to 300 tons, Brazilians remember the time during the COVID-19 pandemic

16:01when Venezuela sent oxygen to Manaus.

16:03Our correspondent, Brian Mir, has more.

16:07This weekend, the Brazilian government's first shipment of 40 tons of hemodialysis medicine

16:12and supplies arrived in Venezuela in response to the U.S. government's bombing of the nation's

16:17largest nephrology supply center during its kidnapping of President Nicolas Maduro and his wife and

16:23first lady Celia.

16:29We are doing this for humanitarian reasons and I would like to remind everyone that at the

16:33height of the COVID-19 pandemic, when the hospital system in Manaus collapsed due to lack of oxygen

16:39because of the federal government at that time responsible crisis management, Venezuela sent

16:45130,000 cubic meters of oxygen to the city to save Brazilian lives.

16:52During the pandemic in 2021, then-president Jair Bolsonaro and his cronies politicized oxygen

16:58delivery to Manaus by sending it up a dirt highway from Porto Velho during rainy season instead of

17:04airlifting it to promote a project supported by his agribusiness campaign donors to pave the highway.

17:09Oxygen ran out, ventilators stopped running, killing dozens and hundreds of prematurely born babies had to be

17:15And now we have a second short break coming up. Before we invite you to visit our Facebook page at

17:21Telesur English, there you'll be able to watch our top stories, special life coverage and much more.

17:25Follow our page also, activate the notification button to stay up to date on the world's most recent events.

17:32Final short break, but we'll be right back.

17:35Welcome back to From the South. Let's talk about Palestine, the United Nations Children's Fund.

17:58UNICEF reported that more than 100 children in Gaza have lost their lives since October 2025.

18:05The organization asserted that Israeli violence and the harsh winter conditions have created a lethal

18:11environment that has already claimed the lives of more than 100 children in the last three months.

18:17They also warned that the actual number could be higher as only properly documented cases have been

18:23counted. In addition to the Israeli attacks which continue with drones and bombings, the impact of

18:29winter has devastated the precarious camps for displaced people, leaving thousands of families out of

18:35in the open. For their part, local authorities reported that some 288,000 families are without

18:41any kind of shelter in a territory with more than 2 million displaced people.

18:52Now we go to Iran. The Ministry of Security and Intelligence of that country announced the seizure of

18:57espionage and sabotage materials that were going to be distributed in provinces that have

19:02experienced unrest and clashes. The authorities reported that the shipment was illegally brought

19:08in through the border of one of the countries in the region. They also emphasized that the objective

19:14was to deliver the equipment to specific provinces that have recently experienced acts of unrest,

19:21ensuring the continuity of sabotage operations aimed at disrupting local networks. The authorities warned

19:28that the plan was intended to connect the equipment as an integrated package to provide an independent

19:34communications and internet network for terrorist groups.

19:41In this context, the Iranian authorities indicated that they managed to activate a highly complex shutdown

19:46switch that paralyzed the data movement on the Starlink satellites over the territory. In turn,

19:53it was revealed that an advanced technique known as the electromagnetic shield was used

19:59which extends to attack the frequencies that directly connect ground stations to satellites. This digital

20:06shutdown comes at the height of the protests in the countries experiencing where the Iranian government

20:12assured that taking down the Starlink signal is a defensive step to protect its national security against

20:18digital espionage.

20:27Also, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps' ground forces reported the dismantling of terrorist groups linked

20:34to Israel, including the confiscation of U.S. weapons. They also stated that terrorists linked to Israel

20:41enter the country through the eastern border, taking refuge in various hideouts. The authorities revealed that the militarily

20:49affiliated with the Israeli regime had been trained abroad and were plotting to carry out acts of sabotage

20:55during the protests during the protests during the protests.

21:00The images shown by the media also included confessions by some terrorists who admitted

21:09their complicity in carrying out sabotage missions and exploiting public gatherings to

21:13achieve hostile objectives.

21:25Also, in this context, Donald Trump threatened a 25% tariff on any business with the U.S. for any country maintaining

21:40commercial relations with Iran as the Persian nation denounces foreign interference, trying to incite

21:46destabilization. Before the latest threats, White House spokeswoman Caroline Levitt had stated that airstrikes

21:53against the country were among several options on the table for Trump, who had already warned of a possible

22:00intervention. The most recent U.S. threats come as Iran denounces foreign interference, infiltrating initially peaceful

22:09protests to generate instability in the country.

22:17Also, in this context, Iranian authorities have accused the United States and Israel of having

22:22infiltrated Daesh members within the protests taking place since December. According to Iranian Armed Forces Chief

22:29Abdullah Rahim Mousavi, the forces have acted with caution as among the demonstrations were people not linked to the violent acts.

22:39According to Teheran, protests began in rejection of the nationals' currency devaluation, spreading from the capital to other cities, initially in a peaceful manner,