- 1 hour ago
23/01/2026
FTS 12.30
*Minneapolis businesses close in protest against Trump immigration policies
*Russia-Ukraine-U.S. hold trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi
FTS 12.30
*Minneapolis businesses close in protest against Trump immigration policies
*Russia-Ukraine-U.S. hold trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi
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NewsTranscript
00:00Venezuela's acting president, Delce Rodriguez, assured the hydrocarbon law reform approved
00:17on Thursday by the National Assembly to strengthen energy sovereignty and expand the industry's
00:22production process. In the United States, hundreds of businesses in Minnesota closed their doors
00:33on Friday in protest to Donald Trump's administration's immigration policies, and Ukraine, Russia
00:45and the US hold three-way talks in Abu Dhabi this Friday, marking the first time that the
00:50three countries have sat down together since the start of the conflict in 2022.
01:01Hello and welcome to From the South. I'm Alejandra Garcia from Telesur Studios in Havana, Cuba.
01:05We begin with Anís.
01:12Venezuela's National Assembly approved on Thursday a partial reform to the hydrocarbon
01:25law. Parliament President Jorge Rodriguez opened the vote for the reform under Article 203 of
01:31the nation's constitution, which was approved by a qualified majority. The reform seeks to
01:37ease and increase oil production in the Bolivarian nation. Rodriguez also highlighted the importance
01:43to implement a law to protect the income of the foreign people.
01:48On Thursday, in Caracas, the capital of Venezuela, acting president, Delce Rodriguez, supported the
02:02partial reform of the organic law on hydrocarbons, and assured that this new legal framework will
02:08strengthen energy sovereignty, attract investment, and develop oil fuels that have not been exploited until now.
02:15In this regard, Delce Rodriguez stated that activating currently inoperative oil fuels through more
02:20flexible business schemes and greater participation by the private sector in partnership with the state and workers
02:27would lead to a notable improvement in crude oil production and generate greater resources for
02:33social investment. The acting president also described the legislative achievement as an imperative necessity for
02:41the development and well-being of the Venezuelan people.
02:52We are witnessing the development of the discussion on the partial reform of the hydrocarbons law within
02:59the framework of our energy sovereignty, a law that seeks to adapt, a law that seeks to attract investment
03:04for the development of fields never exploited by Venezuela, and that the exploitation of these oil fields
03:11be for the happiness of the people, directly for the happiness of our people.
03:15And on Friday, Venezuela marks the anniversary of the popular rebellion that ended Pérez Jiménez's rule
03:25and is widely seen as a turning point that paved the way for democratic government. In this context,
03:31Foreign Minister Iban Hill highlighted the date. Through his telegram account, the top diplomat shared,
03:36on January 23rd of 1958, the popular rebellion that ended the dictatorship of General Marcos Pérez Jiménez
03:44culminated in a display of the power of civil-military unity. In this regard,
03:49he'll assure that after the end of Pérez Jiménez's rule, the country entered a new era of two-party
03:55government, political and economic crisis, and great hardship for the population, which ended
04:01with the arrival of Commander Hugo Chávez and the triumph of the Bolivarian Emancipation Project.
04:06The director of Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service, Sergei Narishkin, asserted that with the
04:18kidnapping of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, the United States had put the final nail in the
04:23coffin of the liberal order. During an interview with a national media outlet, Narishkin expressed
04:30astonishment that some politicians in Washington were boosting about an operation that he described
04:36as a blatant violation of international law. The diplomat and security intelligence expert affirms
04:43that the attack against the Bolivarian nation is part of a series of U.S. imperialist actions
04:47over the last three decades, citing the cases of Yugoslavia, Iraq, and the military intervention in
04:54Libya. In this regard, Narishkin says it is very symbolic that the attack was
05:00what he called the totalitarian liberal order was sealed by Washington.
05:10And now we have a short break coming up, but first remember you can join us on TikTok at
05:14Telesur English, where you'll find news in different formats, news updates, and much more.
05:19We'll be right back. Stay with us.
05:30Welcome back to From the South. On Saturday, the Colombian government has suspended electricity
05:46exports to Ecuador. The decision is one of the responses to the 30 percent tariff imposed
05:51inelaterally by Quito against Bogota without prior notice or dialogue. When announcing the suspension
05:57of electricity exports, Colombia's Minister of Energy, Edwin Palma, stated that the purpose of
06:03the measure is to protect the national interest, energy, security, and dignity. In this regard,
06:09Bogota confirms that it remains committed to regional cooperation but establishes priorities when the
06:15stability of the electricity service may be compromised. Later, President Gustavo Petro referred to this decision.
06:22to respond here to my colleague, the President of Ecuador, who doesn't like me at all despite the fact
06:39that he invited me to his home, despite the fact that I don't like invitations like that, not even five,
06:45because I don't know what it was for. But well, we sold him energy when he needed. Now that he doesn't
06:52need it, he seemed to be the best friend of the one who shouts the loudest, but I don't like to shout
06:58out sometimes. There, in Ipiales, we know, and we are close to the sea, the transfer of from Colombia to
07:06Ecuador may be by ship. It is the safest way. But we need a prevention radar in the highlands of the
07:14Nudo de las Papas, near the border, so that there is no transfer of drug-plated aircraft.
07:20In response to Ecuador's unilateral imposition of tariffs against Colombia, John Molina, major of
07:29Putumayo, a Colombian city boarder in Ecuador, also refuted Quito's claims with information.
07:34The security balance here is positive. The private security forces, both the national police and the
07:42national army, exercise control over the Colombian side of the border at the border crossings. An official
07:49statistic allowed us to show a favorable result in terms of security in 2025 compared to 2024. We
07:57managed to reduce the homicide rate by 60%. And now we go to Honduras, where the government
08:06transition is moving forward amidst multiple legal challenges through the EU and Finnish processes
08:12of reviewing the regularities that occurred before, during and after the November 30th elections. More on
08:18the topic with our colleague Karin Duarte. The formal transition process between the
08:29refounding government and the incoming government led by the national party began with President
08:34Xiomara Castro's instruction to the Secretary of the Interior and Justice, the Civil Service,
08:39and the Secretary of Security to organize the administrative transfer. This process includes the handover and
08:46receipt of responsibilities in the state workforce and culminates with the installation of the Board
08:50of Directors of the National Congress, the body that has the constitutional authority to swear in the
08:55new president and confirm the incoming powers.
08:58Even if people here throw a tantrum, even if some say no, even if some believe that one congressman's
09:07vote is worth more than another's, there are no votes that are worth more or less. There are 128 votes,
09:13and the one who gets the most votes will become the president of Congress. What is happening is that
09:17we are building channels of dialogue. The country needs the Congress to be a place of peace. Honduras needs a
09:23Congress in peace.
09:29Political analysts have expressed concern that, just days before the inauguration,
09:34no cabinet proposed by Asfora has been officially announced and the transition has progressed slowly
09:39and fragmentedly amidst multiple allegations of fraud and irregularities.
09:43We see that there are many causes, reasons, and motives for which this electoral process can be
09:53declared null and void. Among them are foreign interference and threats to the population,
09:58by organized criminal groups. In addition to economic coercion, it is precisely all of these motives,
10:04reasons, and causes that lead to or result in the declaration of the invalidity of this electoral process.
10:10On the other hand, CNE Counselor Marlon Ochoa warned that the electoral process, by not changing in
10:22favor of democracy, reflects a deep decay of the state, to the point of emptying the legal and
10:27constitutional framework of its content. In his opinion, the decisions taken show that in Honduras,
10:33the rule of law no longer prevails, but rather the imposition of force and impunity as mechanisms of
10:39power, which is why the change of government is taking place without any options.
10:46And this really reveals the rottenness in which we are sinking as a state, right? It no longer makes
10:52any sense to talk about rights, articles, or laws here. The law is dead, and that is why in my publication,
10:59I recommend that counselor throw away their law degrees and lawyer licenses, because the law no longer
11:04exists, and the only thing that exists in Honduras is force, imposition, and impunity.
11:10To date, beyond President Castro's declaration of the start of the transition, no other state authority,
11:24including the Supreme Court of Justice and other state powers, has formally ruled on the final vote count,
11:29which deepens political uncertainty, which deepens political uncertainty, which deepens political uncertainty.
11:36For TELESUR, from Tegucigalpa, Honduras, Karim Duarte.
11:40And in the United States, hundreds of businesses in Minnesota closed their doors on Friday in support of
11:46protests against the Trump administration immigration policies. The strike was organized by local unions,
11:52religious leaders, and citizens urging Minnesota residents to avoid shopping and stay home. In this scenario,
11:59protesters marched under the slogan, ICE out of Minnesota, to reject the violence of immigration
12:05and customs enforcement against migrants. This strike comes after Vice President J.D. Vance suggested
12:12that ICE make a strong presence in Minneapolis. Let's recall that two weeks since 37-year-old
12:18US citizen René Nicole Good was finally shot by an ICE officer, the defiance of the city's residence
12:24remains on full display.
12:34And in this context, ICE agents continue to use aggressive and violent methods to make arrests
12:40in its mass deportation campaign, including breaking down doors in Minneapolis homes.
12:46An internal memorandum from Immigration and Customs Enforcement authorizes agents to use force to make
12:52arrests without a deportation warrant. In this regard, activists point out that these guidelines violate
12:57the protections of the Fourth Amendment to the US Constitution, which establishes protection against
13:02their surges and seizures without a warrant.
13:05And now we have a second shower break coming up. Before we invite you to visit our Facebook page
13:16at Telesur English, that you'll be able to watch our top stories, special live coverage and much more.
13:21Follow our page, also activate the notification button to stay up to date on the worst most recent events.
13:27Final shower break, we'll be right back.
13:40Welcome back to From the South. Let's talk about Palestine. Authorities reported that the deaths of at least the 10 babies in the gas strip, victims of low temperatures and the lack of basic conditions,
13:56for survival due to the severe winter season due to the severe winter season. The deaths are occurring amidst a widespread humanitarian crisis where critical shortages of fuel and medicines are preventing medical centers from saving lives.
14:08Added to this scenario is a dangerous increase in pregnancy complications due to the destruction of health infrastructure and the impossibility of accessing specialized care. International organizations denounce that the
14:38these deaths are the result of the Israeli blockade, leaving newborns as the most vulnerable population in the face of storms and healthcare neglect in the Palestinian territory.
14:57And Ukraine, Russia and the United States hold talks in Abu Dhabi, marking the first time that the three countries have sat down together since the start of the conflict in 2022.
15:06The meeting was confirmed after talks at the Kremlin between the Russian President Vladimir Putin, the US envoy Steve Witkow and Jared Kushner.
15:15In this context, Kremlin diplomatic adviser Yuri Ushakov told reporters those talks were useful in every respect, adding that the first meeting of a trilateral working group on security issues is underway today in Abu Dhabi.
15:29The full details of the talks in Abu Dhabi. The full details of the talks in the United Arab Emirates were not released.
15:36And in this context, the U.S. negotiating team is headed by envoy Steve Witkow and the Russian side by General Igor Kostyokov, the director of Russia's Green Military Intelligence Agency.
15:55Meanwhile, Ukraine's delegation is led by Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council, Rustem Umerov, and include Lieutenant General Andreyi Natov, the chief of staff of the Ukrainian armed forces.
16:08And in other information, for decades, local organizations in Okinawa have fought against the militarization of the Archipelago, which concentrates 70% of U.S. military bases in Japan.
16:27Our correspondent, Mauro Ramos, chose the historical resistance for demilitarization and the new challenges faced by Okinawan communities.
16:38Okinawa is an archipelago in southern Japan, representing only 0.6% of the country's total area.
16:46Yet these islands house approximately 70% of all U.S. military assets stationed on Japanese territory.
16:55Local organizations fear that Okinawa could become a target in future conflicts and oppose the heavy militarization of the region.
17:03Keiko Yanaha is one of the leaders of the demilitarization and peace movement.
17:08In my opinion, the root of all the problems in Okinawa still lies with the U.S. military bases.
17:18Recently, even the self-defense forces' bases have become part of the problem.
17:23I believe that almost all the problems Okinawa faces stem from these U.S. military bases.
17:30Beyond that, there are issues like sexual assault against women, as well as accidents caused by American soldiers.
17:38For example, helicopters or jets crashing in Okinawa.
17:42There are also problems like soil contamination.
17:49Kadinawa is a city of nearly 13,000 inhabitants, with more than 80% of its territory occupied by U.S. military bases.
18:00Yoshihiro Fukuchi is one of the leaders of an organization pursuing legal action to stop the noise pollution caused by the U.S. aircraft, including F-35.
18:11At least from my perspective, it is highly anomalous that while the courts acknowledge that local residents have indeed suffered damages caused by noise generated within Japan's own territory,
18:23they simultaneously assert that there are no legal remedies available.
18:27This leads us to question. Is Japan truly a sovereign state? Does Japan lack the rights inherent to any sovereign nation?
18:36We have reflected deeply on this question.
18:42The occupation of the archipelago occurred after the so-called Battle of Okinawa at the end of World War II in 1945.
18:49According to the Okinawa prefectural government, more than 100,000 civilians died, victims of the U.S. or Japanese forces, forced suicides, starvation and disease.
19:00After Japan's defeat, Okinawa remained under direct U.S. military administration for 27 years, until 1972.
19:09Takamatsu Gushiken from the organization No More Battle of Okinawa is dedicated to recovering the remains of war victims.
19:17The reason I oppose military bases in Okinawa is to prevent Okinawa from becoming a battlefield again.
19:26This comes from my own experience. From the age of 28 until now, at 71, I have long dedicated myself to collecting the remains of those who died in the Battle of Okinawa.
19:38This work involves returning the remains to their families. And throughout this process, I have constantly felt a profound problem.
19:47Those who became victims were not just soldiers. There were ordinary residents, elderly people, children and women.
19:56From Beijing in China, Mauro Ramos reporting for Telesur.
20:02And now we go to China, where President Xi Jinping and Brazilian President Luis Ignacio Lula da Silva held the phone conversation,
20:10emphasizing the importance of China-Brazil relations in the current turbulent international environment.
20:16President Xi highlighted that China and Brazil as key members of the Global South play a constructive role in maintaining world peace, stability and improving global governance.
20:28He stressed the need for both countries to stand on the right side of history, safeguard their common interests and uphold the core position of the United Nations as well as international fairness and justice.
20:40Xi also affirmed China's commitment to being a reliable friend and partner to Latin American and Caribbean nations,
20:47and promoting a China-Latting American community with a shared future.
21:04For his part, Brazilian President Lula da Silva took to his social media ex to address the call and express.
21:10We discussed strengthening our bilateral relations since his visit to Brazil in November 2024.
21:16We highlighted the synergies between our national development projects, especially in the area of infrastructure, ecological transition and technology.
21:26We agreed to expand cooperation in areas of cutting-edge knowledge.
21:31I announced as well that we will grant exemptions for certain categories of short-stay visas to Chinese citizens in reciprocity with the exemption measure adopted by China since 2025.
21:44Regarding the global outlook, we emphasize that Brazil and China are countries that play a central role in defending multilateralism, international law and free trade.
21:55We reiterate our commitment to strengthening the United Nations as a means of defending peace and stability in the world.
22:02We agreed to maintain frequent coordination and issues on the bilateral agenda and of regional and global interest.
22:17Meanwhile, in Vietnam on Friday, during the first plan of recession of the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party, Tor Lam,
22:23was unanimously re-elected General Secretary of the Central Committee.
22:27Tor Lam was re-elected by all 180 members of a newly formed committee at the end of a Congress held every five years to set key targets and make leadership decisions.
22:39The party also appointed the 19 members of the Politburo and the Inspection Commission.
22:45In this scenario, Tor Lam said he would maintain party unity and told the Congress he wants more reforms to foster a system based on integrity, talent, courage and competence.
22:58The leader of the Communist Party also referred to the objective of conceiving reforms to boost the country's economic growth and maintaining the commitment to international and foreign relations.
23:10Our thing is сделали not so George and Clintonlysuy, himlow.
23:13In terms of sustainable tourism by
23:20About the economy, we will build up the growth model to ensure the objective of double-digit growth.
23:21In the face of international difficulties and volatilities, few countries reached double-digit growth.
23:27difficulties and volatilities, few countries reach double-digit growth.
23:35But we also raise the issue that we need to achieve double-digit growth to reach our goals.
23:46This time, one more new point is that Vietnam has increased the role of international relations,
23:53external relations of Vietnam to a new importance, on the same level with the attacks of defense
24:01and security.
24:04And like this, we have come to the end of this news brief.
24:06Remember, you can find this and many other stories on our website at www.telesurenglish.net.
24:11Also join us on social media.
24:13We are on Facebook, Instagram, Telegram and TikTok as well.
24:23And we'll see you next time.
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