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* Venezuela ratifies readiness for energy partnership with the U.S.
* Mexican Govt. offers to mediate dialogue between U.S. and Cuba
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* Mexican Govt. offers to mediate dialogue between U.S. and Cuba
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NewsTranscript
00:10Venezuela's acting president Alcir Rodriguez emphasized the country's
00:14readiness for a long-term energy partnership with the United States.
00:21Argentina's Chamber of Deputies approved a new juvenile penal regime,
00:25backed by President Javier Millet's government that lowers the age of criminal responsibility from 16 to 14,
00:31sets a maximum 15-year prison sentence for serious crimes.
00:41Mexican President Clyde Sheinbaum offered to mediate between the United States government and Cuba
00:46amid difficulties facing the island due to the blockade imposed by Donald Trump.
00:55Hello, welcome to From the South. I'm Sophie Fernandez from the Telesur Studios in Havana, Cuba.
01:00We'll begin with the news. Stay with us.
01:14Acting President of Venezuela, Alcir Rodriguez, visited the joint company Petroindependencia
01:19in the Orinoco oil belt, together with the U.S. Secretary of Energy, Chris Wright.
01:25After a meeting with the U.S. official, the acting president highlighted the intention to promote a strategic cooperative relationship
01:31between the United States and Venezuela, aimed at generating greater prosperity for stability for both nations.
01:38According to the acting president, this joint agenda will be based on respect for Venezuela's sovereignty and self-determination.
01:45In this scenario, Deserrarias referred to the re-valotization of the hydrocarbon sector to maintain continuous operations
01:51in the issuance of strategic licenses, and allowed Venezuelan companies to acquire supplies and mobilize funds.
02:08Also on Venezuela, on Thursday, the Parliament discussed the Amnesty Bill for Democratic Co-existence,
02:14in accordance with the provisions of the Venezuelan legislature.
02:17The Parliamentary Agenda addressed the debate on the motion on the second day,
02:21in order to draft the legal text that incorporates the analysis of deputies and the popular consultation
02:27that has been carried out in the country in recent days.
02:30In this regard, the Legislative Group approved six articles of the draft,
02:35on call for national unity, tolerance, respect and reconciliation,
02:39focusing on the need for consensus and the integrity of the country.
02:43In this context, Congressman Jorge Agreaza emphasized the importance of the Amnesty Law
02:48in the historic moment for Venezuela.
02:56A law so necessary and relevant that we once again confirm the coherence and meaning of the political moment
03:05of Acting President, Delcy Rodriguez, in proposing it, not only as an amnesty law, which it is,
03:12but also as a law for democratic coexistence.
03:20In addition, Venezuelan Deputy Jorge Agreaza provided details of the proposals received from the population
03:26through public consultations regarding the Amnesty Law for Democratic Co-existence.
03:35We have 2700 written contributions in hand, but proposals continue to arrive.
03:42Contributions to the Amnesty Law continue to arrive.
03:45As I told you, assemblies were held throughout the country, in all 25 states.
03:51However, Magistrate Tania de Emilio, also informed me a few minutes ago that the judges and justices of the peace,
03:59were motivated by the meeting held by the full commission last Sunday,
04:03and that they carried out consultation processes on this law in 20 to 66 communes,
04:09with the participation of more than 25,000 residents.
04:17And on Thursday, Venezuelan youth took to the streets of Caracas to commemorate the 200th anniversary
04:23of the Battle of La Victoria and celebrate Youth Day.
04:26On the occasion of these commemorations, Venezuela's Acting President Delcy Rodriguez
04:30reaffirmed the course of the agenda for relations with the United States,
04:34must be based on respect and cooperation, always within the framework of national sovereignty.
04:39In this context, Rodriguez praised the commitment of young generations to national development,
04:45despite the difficulties.
04:46In addition, the Acting President announced a new financing and dialogue plan for the country's youth,
04:52comprising 400 productive projects in areas such as animal husbandry and textile manufacturing,
04:59to promote forced deployment.
05:11I feel Diosdado, Venezuelan youth, very happy, very happy that the path with the United States is an agenda of
05:19respect,
05:19an agenda of cooperation within the framework of our sovereignty,
05:23and that the energy agenda that we have been pursuing for more than a century and a half
05:27can be put into practice within the framework of international laws and Venezuelan law.
05:36And the city of Caracas, Venezuela, hosts the International Forum, the Union of Our Americas,
05:42with the participation of representatives from countries in the region and around the world.
05:46The meeting addresses the historical project of integration from its origins,
05:50with the Venezuelan leaders Francisco de Miranda and Simón Bolívar,
05:54and the Congress of Panama, to contemporary challenges in the face of hegemonic doctrines.
05:59The gathering is divided into two sessions, with four thematic blocks that combine keynotes,
06:04presentations by experts, and final presentations.
06:07The forum is organized by the Presidential Commission for the Bicentennial Commemoration,
06:12and the Simón Bolívar Studies Center,
06:14and welcomes prominent historians and international specialists,
06:17who join Venezuelan researchers with extensive experience.
06:30And now we have a short break coming up,
06:32but first remember you can join us on TikTok at Tele Sur English,
06:35where you will find news in different formats, news updates, and more.
06:39Stay with us.
07:00Welcome back to From the South.
07:01On February 12th, Argentina's Chamber of Deputies gave general approval to the new youth penal regime,
07:08which includes lowering the age of criminal responsibility and imputability from 16 to 14 years old.
07:14The new juvenile penal regime lowers the age of imputability to 14 years old,
07:19and establishes a maximum prison sentence of up to 15 years for serious crimes.
07:25Alternative penalties are provided for crimes with sentences less than 10 years in prison.
07:30The old initiative was strongly supported by Javier Millet's far right-wing government,
07:35and passed with 149 votes in favor, 100 against, and no abstentions.
07:41The bill will now undergo an article-by-article review by the deputies before proceeding to the Senate for final
07:48consideration.
07:55Meanwhile, the Argentinian Senate passed the ruling party Labor Reform Bill,
08:00amid a repressive operation against protesters.
08:02After a long session that lasted until early on Thursday,
08:07the Senate gave preliminary approval to the reform promoted by President Javier Millet and his allies,
08:12with 42 votes in favor and 30 against.
08:15The bill will now be sent to the Chamber of Deputies for full approval,
08:19with the government assuring its goal is to have it passed before May 1st.
08:23The passing of the bill was marked by a repressive operation deployed just hours after the debate began,
08:29designed to intimidate the organizations ahead of the final discussion.
08:33Once again, Millet's far-right government torn its back on the population,
08:38which demonstrated widely against the proposed reform they warned will negatively impact employment,
08:44wages, and the social security system.
08:57Now, let's go over some of the most significant changes that Millet's labor reform is introducing.
09:02Sick leaves will be affected as workers affected by non-work-related illnesses or accidents,
09:08will face a reduction of 25% or 50% of their salary, depending on the nature of the incident.
09:15Unjustified termination will be followed by a reduced severance pay,
09:19as the base calculation will exclude the legal 13th salary, along with any bonuses or extras.
09:26The reform also introduces an hour bank, meaning workers could exchange overtime for future time off,
09:32up to 12 hours a day, without extra payments.
09:35The reform describes as dynamic salary, the fact that wages may be further tied to productivity,
09:42performance or results instead of a set monthly wage.
09:45The power of collective bargaining is also targeted as companies' level facts will prevail over sector national ones,
09:53diminishing the production of sector arrangements.
09:56Finally, the reform affects the right to work or organization,
09:59as assemblies will need employer approval and blocking non-strikes work will be considered a serious offense.
10:14We move now to Ecuador, where at least 100 families have been evacuated due to the collapse of a commercial
10:19building,
10:20in the center of Guayaquil.
10:22The structure of the complex, which housed apartments, offices and warehouses,
10:26collapsed due to high temperatures of a major fire.
10:29The evacuated people lived or worked in the commercial complex, located in one of the busiest areas of Guayaquil Bay.
10:36In this scenario, authorities urged the public to stay away from the area,
10:39and firefighters continue to work on Thursday to ensure safety in sectors near the incident.
11:03Through Decree 0150 of February 11, 2026, Colombian President Gustavo Petro declared a state of economic, social and ecological emergency
11:13in eight departments.
11:14with an initial validity of 30 calendar days.
11:17This measure is in response to the crisis caused by the massive and unprecedented rainfall in Colombia's Caribbean and Pacific
11:24coastal regions.
11:26This phenomenon occurred due to the unusual movement of a cold front towards the Colombian Caribbean.
11:32This rare event generated rainfall ranging from 130% to over 180% of the historical monthly average in just
11:40a few days.
11:40This pattern, combined with strong winds, abnormal swells, storm sources and flash floods, triggered multiple emergencies in the affected regions.
11:59Meanwhile, Madagascar declared a national disaster after cyclone Ghassani caused widespread devastation,
12:06leaving dozens of victims and severe damage to key infrastructure.
12:09The Council of Ministers decided on February 12 to address the storm's humanitarian, economic and social impacts,
12:16particularly in the eastern Atsinana region and the port city of Tuomasina.
12:22According to the National Disaster Risk Management Office, the storm killed at least 31 people, affected over 250,000 individuals,
12:30and displaced approximately 7,000 from their homes.
12:33In some areas of Tuomasina, up to 90% of the structures reportedly suffered damage.
12:46We have a second short break coming up.
12:48Before, we invite you to visit our Facebook page at Tell Us Read English.
12:51There, you'll be able to watch our top stories, special life coverage and much more.
12:55Follow our page and activate the notification button to stay up to date on the world's most recent events.
13:00Final short break, but we'll be right back with more From the South. Don't go away.
13:23Welcome back to From the South.
13:24Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum offered to mediate between the United States Government and Cuba amid difficulties facing the island due
13:32to the blockade imposed by President Donald Trump.
13:35During her daily morning press conference, the Mexican President emphasized that Mexico can act as the state that opens the
13:41dialogue between Havana and Washington, based on sovereignty and respect.
13:45In this regard, Sheinbaum explained that the proposal had been formally presented to the U.S. Department of State and
13:52the Cuban Embassy in Mexico.
13:54The state affirmed that dialogue must be founded on the principle of self-determination of peoples and peace.
14:09We have proposed that Mexico do everything in its power to generate a dialogue that allows within the framework of
14:19Cuba's sovereignty, because that is very important, because it is also our principle of the self-determination of peoples, to
14:28create the conditions for peace and peace.
14:30It is also our purposeful dialogue, and also for Cuba, without any country imposing sanctions to be able to receive
14:37oil and its derivatives for its day-to-day functioning.
14:46Two ships with humanitarian aid from Mexico arrived in Cuba Thursday as part of Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum's solidarity commitment
14:53to help the Caribbean island in his struggle against the blockade imposed by the United States.
14:58The shipments include basic supplies, medicine, food and household items to be distributed to the Cuban population, which is facing
15:06difficulties due to the aggressive U.S. measures imposed on the Caribbean island.
15:10After President Donald Trump's return to the White House, pressure on Cuba has intensified including threats of sanctions against countries
15:18that send oil to the island.
15:28In other news on Thursday, authorities announced that Brazil and India will sign a cooperation agreement regarding critical minerals on
15:36rare earths in March during Brazilian President Lula Silva State to visit.
15:42Susan Clevanka, the Brazilian Foreign Minister, the Brazilian Foreign Minister, Asia and Pacific Director, explained the policy seeks to prioritize
15:49international cooperation, process minerals in Brazil and avoid exclusivity agreements like those sought by the U.S.
15:57Brazil.
15:58Brazil has the world's second largest rare earth reserves and aim to increase mineral exports and add value to domestic
16:05production by processing strategic minerals internally.
16:08President Lula will sign 11 agreements between March 18 and 21, including tourist visa extensions and collaborations to build planes
16:16in India.
16:25Meanwhile, on Thursday, Latin civil rights groups in the United States denounced the Safe America Act, promoted by President Donald
16:32Trump for potentially excluding millions of voters.
16:36The bill was approved by the House of Representatives on Tuesday, February 10, requiring voters to provide official documentation.
16:43The Voto Latino Association denounced this as the latest attempt by the Republicans to intimidate and deter voters of color
16:50from participating in the elections.
16:52The Association noted that nearly 146 million U.S. citizens do not have a valid passport and that at least
16:5921 citizens, including those in rural and low-income communities, do not have immediate access to their birth and naturalization
17:06documents.
17:31New data has revealed that at least 2,000 British nationals served in the Israeli Defense Forces during the genocide
17:37in Gaza.
17:38The data obtained by the classified UK via a reform of information request for that 1,686 British Israelis and
17:48383 people with British, Israeli and another nationality were serving in the IDF as of March 2025.
17:56The figure is significantly higher than previous reports, which suggested that around 50 Britons had fought for Israel during the
18:04conflict.
18:05It is important to highlight that under the Section 4 of the Foreign Enlistment Act, it is an offense for
18:11British nationals to take part in the military or national service of a foreign state that is in war with
18:17a state at peace with the UK.
18:26And Germany's top court ruled on Thursday rejected a Palestinian men's constitutional complaint seeking to block German armed exports to
18:35Israel.
18:35The Federal Constitutional Court acknowledged that the German Constitution obliged the state to uphold international humanitarian law.
18:42However, it ruled that its obligation does not grant individuals specific enforceable rights that can be pursued before the court.
18:50The case was brought by a Gaza resident who lost his life and child in an Israeli military strike, seeking
18:57to prevent German manufacturers from delivering spare tank parts to Israel.
19:02In this decision, the Federal Constitutional Court said it would not admit the complaint for review, finding no grounds to
19:08overturn earlier rulings by lower courts.
19:20Moving on to other news, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zaharova confirmed that Russia will not attend the first Peace
19:29Council meeting on February 19th.
19:31During her press conference, the diplomat emphasized that Moscow has not yet determined its official position regarding the Council.
19:37This decision clearly diverges from the Washington-led initiative, whose founding charter was recently signed in Davos.
19:46Zaharova stressed that Russia is still working on formulating a coherent position on the organization.
19:51Thus far, the Slavic nation has not formally agreed to join the board.
19:56Discussion stems from the need to assess the organization's true objectives before establishing a presence in the U.S.
20:24In Benin, the Cotonou International Women's Film Festival highlighted the creativity and resilience of African women filmmakers.
20:32The fourth edition of the festival brought together more than 1,000 attendees and showcased 18 films from 16 countries,
20:40reflecting the diversity of women's cinema across the continent.
20:44The program held under the theme, Women's Freedom for their Creativity, including screenings, panel discussions and workshops aimed at breaking
20:52down the social-cultural barriers that limit women's professional development in the film industry.
20:57The screening of the short film, The Way, created by 12 teenage girls from Benin, was one of the highlights
21:03of the events, as it addresses themes of youth, education and aspirations.
21:19And moving to Bolivia, farmers began celebrating the Andean Carnival, also known as a Nata Andino.
21:25At least 100 communities from the 16 provinces of the Department of Oruro gathered in the center of the city
21:32of the same name to participate in the tradition.
21:35In this regard, Willy Tapia, leader of the single Federation of Farmers, emphasized that this gathering has been held for
21:42more than 30 years and brings communities together to share their cultural identity with other farmers.
21:48He also pointed out that this festival is mainly focused on giving thanks to Mother Earth.
21:53In this sense, he mentioned that they plan to begin the process with UNESCO to have it declared a World
21:59Heritage Site.
22:09And like this, we have come to the end of this Tunes Brief.
22:12You can find this and many other stories on the website at www.telesuitenglish.net.
22:15And join us on social media.
22:17We're on Facebook, X, Instagram, Telegram and TikTok.
22:20For Telesuit English, I'm Sophie Fernandez.
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