FTS 02:30 21:02: Venezuelan acting president signs amnesty bill into law

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Transcript

00:14Venezuela's acting President del Sierra Lea signed into law the Amnesty Bill for Democratic Co-existence, after his approval by

00:21the National Assembly.

00:25On Friday, the US Supreme Court ruled that President Donald Trump overstepped his authority by imposing most of his steep

00:32tariffs on global imports.

00:38On the Philippines, at least seven people died in two landslides in the provinces of Davao de Oro and eastern

00:44Davao.

00:45Local authorities urging the population in risk areas to prepare for possible evacuations.

00:54Hello, welcome to From the South. I'm Sophie Fernandez from the Telesur Studios in Havana, Cuba. We begin with the

00:59news. Stay with us.

01:13On Thursday, the Venezuelan National Assembly unanimously approved the Amnesty Law for Democratic Co-existence.

01:19Later enacted by the President del Sierra Lea. The law aims to strengthen peace and stability in the Bolivar Republic.

01:26Our correspondent Brian Muir tells us more.

01:30After weeks of deliberation, on the night of February 19th, Venezuela's National Assembly passed a law that will grant amnesty

01:38to hundreds of political prisoners who were arrested during coup attempts in 2024 and 2017.

01:44The bill was ratified unanimously with full support from government and opposition parties.

01:53You are carrying hope for Venezuela today. I greet the deputies of the Venezuelan opposition, as well as the deputies

02:03of Chavismo, of Bolivarianism.

02:07They are new faces. There are many political actors from these last 25 years.

02:13And there are also young faces, for whom we are acting and guaranteeing the future.

02:19A future of peace, a future of coexistence.

02:24Supporters of the bill were quick to clarify that it doesn't apply to everyone.

02:28People convicted of murder, corruption, drug trafficking and human rights violations, including public support for a U.S. invasion of

02:36Venezuela, are exempt from amnesty.

02:38The morning after the bill was ratified, Congress created a commission to guarantee that the law is properly applied.

02:48First of all, this commission will monitor compliance with what the law establishes.

02:54That is to say, those responsible for the administration of justice in the country must immediately comply.

03:03Because the law has already been published in the official cassette and has entered into force.

03:11With a series of procedures, the guarantee that those individuals who were involved in the violent acts covered by this

03:16law

03:17are either released or their criminal case is dismissed.

03:22Supporters of the new bill are hailing it as an important step in re-establishing peace

03:26in a nation that's still reeling from the imperialist U.S. bombing raid and kidnapping of its elected president,

03:34Nicolas Maduro, and First Lady Celia Flores.

03:37Brian Meir, Tala Sur, Caracas.

03:41And the National Assembly of Venezuela installed a special commission for monitoring the amnesty law for democratic coexistence.

03:48The purpose of this special commission is to develop and implement mechanisms to ensure compliance

03:54with the amnesty law for democratic coexistence in collaboration with the country's judicial security agencies.

04:00The commission, whose presidency and vice-presidency were assigned to Deputy Jorge Arreaza and Deputy Nora Brancho,

04:06immediately began its work in a meeting.

04:09For her part, Acting President Alcir Rodríguez requested that the work be expedited to address cases not covered by the

04:15regulation.

04:21The goal is democratic coexistence, social peace, and unhindered reintegration into political life.

04:27That is to say, this commission has been established where all parliamentary groups that are active in the National Assembly

04:33are present with 23 deputies.

04:37For his part, Venezuela's Minister of Interior Justice and Peace, Dios del Cabello,

04:41confirmed that President Nicolás Maduro had his first consular visit amidst the legal actions being taken by the Venezuelan state

04:47for his prompt release.

04:51He recently had a consular visit, which is one of the things I was telling you about.

04:57Our colleague Elio, who is part of the National Directorate, knows this.

05:02If we don't have an embassy there, if we don't have a consulate, he's not going to have consular visits

05:08that are washing over him and our sister Celia.

05:12He already had his first consular visit. It was granted to him.

05:16And well, he spoke with one of our officials from Venezuela, and he can tell him anything he wants to

05:22tell him,

05:22because it is a visit that is also authorized by international law.

05:29Meanwhile, Venezuelan acting President Alexis Rodriguez met with his Colombian Minister of Mines and Energy,

05:35Edwin Palma Aguia, at the Miraflores Palace.

05:39Venezuela and Colombia boosted the Roadmap for Energy and Economic Integration,

05:43debating a follow-up of the conversation held on February 18th between Herodias and President Gustavo Petro,

05:49where they agreed to hold a presidential summit.

05:52Energy cooperation, strengthening border security and expanding trade ties are the central points of the joint agenda.

05:58The talks seek to consolidate the new stage of diplomatic relations, based on respect and work for mutual benefit.

06:05It should be noted that countries have made progress towards 2026 in the total reopening of their borders

06:11and the reactivation of consular services.

06:21And Venezuela's Acting President Alexis Rodriguez also hosted Jordan's Foreign Minister,

06:26Ayman Hussein al-Safali, at the Miraflores Palace.

06:30The meeting between the Venezuelan government and the Jordanian delegation aims to deepen a bilateral work agenda

06:36and ratify the friendship between both governments, under the principles of sovereignty and self-determination.

06:42Venezuela and Jordan will evaluate new diplomatic agreements with a view to establishing an embassy of the Hashemite nation in

06:49Caracas,

06:50and thus advancing the exception of visas for official passports.

06:54It should be noted that diplomatic relations between Venezuela and Jordan began on August 1, 1954,

07:00consolidating for more than 70 years and focusing on tourism, commercial and political cooperation.

07:12And now we have a short break coming up.

07:14But first remember you can join us on TikTok at TeleSUR English,

07:17where you will find news in different formats, news updates and more.

07:20We'll be right back. Stay with us.

07:34Welcome back to From the South. We continue with more information.

07:38The oldest art school in Hispanic America and the second largest running educational institution in Cuba

07:44is now under pressure from the United States blockade of the island.

07:48Our correspondent Evelyn Leyva is in Havana.

07:52From these classrooms came the best of Cuban talent to spread the island's visual arts in the world's most important

07:58museums.

07:59Founded on January 11, 1818,

08:01in the convent of San Agustin, the San Alejandro National Academy of Fine Arts

08:05was established in 1962 in the town of Marianao, north of the Cuban capital.

08:13The school continues to participate in all events and competition with the most activatory results.

08:19We have six more schools in Santiago de Cuba, Olguín, Camagüey, Cienfuegos, Villa Clara and Matanza.

08:27Today, the blocking against Cuba eclipses the splendor of the former cradle of the most innovative movements in Cuban art.

08:34The purchase of materials through third countries amount to one million dollars over a five-year period.

08:39In the face of intensification of energy and tariff restrictions,

08:42educational authorities were forced to restructure schedules to ensure the continuity of studies.

08:48five years without supplies in school.

08:53Because we have to buy them from third countries.

08:56The process of acquiring supplies become too expensive.

08:59How?

08:59Since we don't have fuel, we can't guarantee food for the students.

09:03That's why we're only working half days.

09:05What we have we learn?

09:09That no material is disposable.

09:12For us, there is no such thing as trash.

09:15It all serves to carry out the artistic educational process.

09:30It costs me 600 pesos to become and 600 pesos to return.

09:36When I arrive, I have another problem, which is work.

09:39For engraving, we need plates, linoleum, a press, a pupil, and nothing else.

09:44We have only one press and there are 50 of us students.

09:51Also for Alexa, it is a challenge to specialize in digital art.

09:56For tracing certain equipment such as drawing tablets,

09:59accessing specialized software to do this type of work digitally,

10:02or even if you have a family member or someone abroad who can help you with this,

10:06chipping is very complicated.

10:07It costs a lot and right now, achievements are being cancelled.

10:12In addition to the specialization in digital arts,

10:15engraving, painting, and sculpture are also a part of the students' four years.

10:19To advance to this level, Diego faces the challenge of accessing vital resources for his training.

10:26For example, the acrylic plates that they cannot supply us with,

10:32formats that they cannot provide us with.

10:35We have practically touched the mood, what the course requires in terms of transportation.

10:42At least I have a level pass test that our school, I have to have an order to be able

10:49to take that test

10:50to graduate from elementary school, and we don't have these conditions.

10:58Academic exchanges with the United States are also at a standstill.

11:02We were going to have an exchange with some students from a school in California, United States,

11:07and in the end the trip was cancelled because supposedly it was not safe for them in the country.

11:11They were going to give out materials at the end of the trip,

11:13and that could not happen because the trip did not take place.

11:18According to Cuban authorities, 14 hours of the blockade equals 12 million dollars,

11:23ten times more than what the San Alejandro Academy needs to return to its glory days.

11:28Javier Campanería and Evelyn Leiva Romero, Telesur, La Habana, Cuba.

11:33In other news on Thursday, a group of Mexican intellectuals and artists urged their colleagues in the United States

11:39to show solidarity with Cuba in the face of the strengthening of the U.S. blockade.

11:44In an open letter, they emphasize that there are crucial moments in the struggle for the survival of humanity

11:50in the face of civilizational and environmental collapse.

11:53These signatures support the call by the Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba

11:58to denounce the blockade and attempts at the economic discipline.

12:02They mentioned that President Trump's recent executive order,

12:04which threatens tariffs on those who supply oil to Cuba, is an act of genocide.

12:10The letter underlines the importance of defending peace and the right of peoples to solve determination.

12:23Meanwhile, Guatemala's Congress rejected a proposal to make a public recognition of the Cuban Medical Brigade

12:28for its supporting role in the country's rural areas.

12:31The lawmaker's decision comes after the Guatemalan government decided to cancel the cooperation agreement,

12:37signed by both nations in 1998.

12:40Our correspondent, Jorolanda Garcia, with the details.

12:48The expressions of gratitude toward Cuban doctors were buried after a vote that rejected even a symbolic support

12:55for the international brigade that has cooperated in Guatemala for more than 27 years.

13:03Unfortunately, we didn't obtain the 81 votes required for the resolution to pass.

13:10However, we acknowledge the 67 votes of the deputies who recognized the important and laudable work done by this cooperation,

13:17so full of solidarity and humanism.

13:22The proposal for the recognition came after the Ministry of Health announced the gradual departure of more than 400 doctors

13:28from the Cuban Brigade,

13:30a process that will be completed in August 2026.

13:34It will leave a huge void in many rural areas throughout the country.

13:40When you go to any rural community, there is always a Cuban doctor.

13:44As a Guatemalan citizen, I am very grateful for this mission.

13:49Although the state denied official recognition,

13:52the impact of the brigade remains intact in communities where for decades there was no doctor.

14:00They do their job with great professionalism.

14:03They are very friendly and truly dedicated.

14:07I have visited the service center on several occasions and the fact that they won't be there anymore.

14:13That they won't be hired again will lead to a crisis.

14:17They do a very good job.

14:19In MY case, they helped me a lot.

14:21There are more women arriving AT the caesarean section area.

14:25SO IT is very important to have experienced doctors who can help women.

14:30The decision comes in a country that has a structural shortage of healthcare personnel.

14:35It's estimated that there are barely 20,000 doctors for 18 million people.

14:41And the minister couldn't tell us what would happen to all the positions that the brigade is leaving behind.

14:48We have to say bluntly, it's a rash decision that responds to political pressure.

14:52That's all there is to it.

14:54The Cuban doctors continue providing services in 16 departments, offering top-notch professional care, especially in indigenous communities and border

15:04areas.

15:05Rolanda Garcia, Telesur, Guatemala.

15:08In other news, the International Organization for Migration warns of a humanitarian collapse in Haiti.

15:14Violence by criminal armed groups have led to the displacement of 1.4 million people.

15:20Those displaced gather in improvised camps after being expelled from the neighborhoods by armed groups.

15:25International organizations provide basic necessities and medical services in 55 precarious shelters.

15:32The organization warns that the magnitude for the tragedy exceeds the capacity to respond.

15:38The organization emphasizes that without a political solution and the dismantling of criminal armed groups,

15:44the displacement of the civilian population will continue to escalate.

15:47The crisis is aggravated by the deportation of 23,000 Haitians returned to the country in January alone.

16:02We have a second short break coming up.

16:04Before, we invite you to visit our Facebook page at Telesur English.

16:07There, you'll be able to watch our top stories, special life coverage and much more.

16:11Follow our page and activate the notification button to stay up to date on the world's most recent events.

16:15We'll find a short break, but we'll be right back with more From the South.

16:18Don't go away.

16:30Welcome back to From the South.

16:32And we go to the US, where on Friday the Supreme Court ruled that President Donald Trump overstepped his authority

16:38by imposing most of his steep tariffs on global imports.

16:41Tariffs typically needed to be approved by Congress, which has sole authority under the Constitution to divide taxes.

16:49However, Trump argued that he had the right to impose tariffs on trading partners under the International Emergency Economic Powers

16:56Act,

16:57which in some circumstances grants the President authority to regulate or prohibit international transactions during a national emergency.

17:04The Supreme Court reached its conclusion in a legal challenge by businesses affected by the tariffs and 12 US states,

17:12most of them democratic government, against Trump's use of his law to unilateral impulse in import taxes.

17:19The Court ruled 6-3 that a 1977 law designed to address national emergencies did not provide the legal justification

17:28for most of the President's studies on countries across the world.

17:38And in response to the US Supreme Court's decision, the US President announced the imposition of a global tariff of

17:4410%, unleashing a new trade offensive against the world.

17:47According to Trump, the measure is based on Section 122, a legal power that allows Washington to apply tariffs of

17:55up to 15% for a period of 150 days, on the grounds of imbalances in payments.

18:00Trump warned that he will use Section 301 to investigate what he considers unfair trade practices, a mechanism he has

18:10used in the past to impose unilateral tariffs on China.

18:13This unilateral decision foreshadows a new escalation of tensions at the global level and reaffirms Trump's protectionist agenda,

18:21which prioritizes economic confrontation over dialogue and international cooperation.

18:32And now we move to Iran, where the government stated that the United States has not demanded a total suspension

18:38of uranium enrichment.

18:40Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Arakshi reported that his country has not proposed any total suspension of uranium enrichment,

18:47and the negotiations with the White House are focused on ensuring that the nuclear program remains for peaceful purposes.

18:54Arakshi also described the latest run as a very good one, and noted that the parties agreed on several guiding

19:01principles for the negotiations.

19:03The Iranian diplomat indicated that Tehran will prepare a draft of a possible agreement in the coming days,

19:09which will be delivered to the head of the US negotiating team, following approval by senior authorities.

19:33In the Philippines, at least seven people died in two landslides in the provinces of Davao de Oro and eastern

19:38Davao.

19:39Among the victims are a father and his two children, and a family of four in the city of Mati.

19:44Local authorities expressed their condolences and promised assistance to the families,

19:49who alerted the population at risk areas to prepare for possible evacuations.

19:54Persistent heavy rains continued to pulse the risk of four landslides and flooding,

19:58so humanitarian aid units and disaster response teams have been mobilized to carry out pre-antified obligations and clear routes.

20:27The Palestinian Center for Human Rights

20:28On Friday, the Palestinian Center for Human Rights, PCHR, denounced the escalation of Israeli bombings

20:34against the Palestinian population as an example of genocide.

20:38The organization also warned of the consequences of Israeli policies that aim to make Gaza unhabitable.

20:45In this regard, the Palestinian Center urged the adoption of urgent measures to end the situation

20:51and accelerate the investigation and accountability processes.

20:55The PCHR denounced the closure of border crossings and the control of vital supplies entering the enclave,

21:01as well as the restrictions on deporting patients and wounded individuals,

21:05viewing these actions as evidence of the use of hunger and pressure on health systems as political tools.

21:17Meanwhile, Ramadan began in Jerusalem amid a heavy Israeli military presence,

21:22with thousands of police officers controlling access to the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

21:27Israeli occupation forces deployed more than 3,000 police officers in Jerusalem for the start of Ramadan,

21:33increasing tension in the occupied Palestinian territories.

21:36The operation is concentrated on the access points to the Al-Aqsa Mosque,

21:40restricting the passage of Palestinian worshippers.

21:42It should be noted that the occupation authorities impose new restrictions and special permits

21:47for those coming from the West Bank, increasing tension in the area.

21:51In addition, the climate of insecurity fueled by Zionist forces

21:54endangers the safety of thousands of people who come to pray.

22:05For its part, the Palestinian Prisoners Club denounced the arbitrary arrests by Zionist forces

22:10in the occupied West Bank amidst the Ramadan celebrations.

22:14The organization warned that Hebron is undergoing intense military and police control campaigns,

22:18while the areas of Tulkarem and Jenin are also targets of Israeli operations.

22:23The Prisoners Club stated that the occupation forces are entering homes by force,

22:28using police dogs, destroying homes and preventing detainees from getting dressed.

22:38And 12 Palestine action activists charged with breaking into a British site

22:43of an Israel-linked defense firm have been released on bail.

22:48On Friday, 12 prisoners were released by the Central Criminal Court of London,

22:53including hunger strikers Teutah Hoxha, Kamhram Ahmed, Kesar Suhram and Heba Muraizi.

23:01On February 4th, six activists were acquitted of vulgarry at London's Woolwich Crown Court,

23:08after the jury was unable to reach a verdict on charges of criminal damage.

23:12On Wednesday, the court dropped the aggravated vulgarry charges,

23:16which carried a maximum sentence of life in prison,

23:19against the remaining 24 members of the group.

23:22The ruling by the London Criminal Court comes days after the British High Court

23:27the rule that the government's ban on Palestine action as a terror group was unlawful and unconstitutional.

23:40And like this, we have come to the end of this news brief.

23:43You can find this and many other stories on our website at TelesurEnglish.net.

23:46And join us on social media. We're on Facebook, X, Instagram, Teleram and TikTok.

23:50But first, we would like to show you the following video.

23:53We reflect the feelings of the Venezuelan people and their firm decision to live in peace and democratic coexistence.

23:59For TelesurEnglish, I'm Sophie Fernandez. Thank you for watching.

24:12Peace. What is peace? What is it about? What is it like?

24:18So often under siege. Vulnerable. Today we must defend it.

24:24Once again, before a self-destructive symptom that threatened the world,

24:30this small, beautiful and dignified southern country has managed to reach an agreement.

24:35Three days ago, a promise was made, and now it is being kept.

24:41The immense commitment that this implies, weaving with very fine threats our national existence.

24:47Let us reconcile from there, from the treasure that is living together,

24:50because the future will not be guaranteed by anyone but ourselves.

24:54No one fails, suffers or hurts more for this country than those who,

24:59through affection and upbringing, belong to it.

25:01Being Venezuelan is a matter of being courageous guardians of our common life.

25:06Let's take care of each other and take a step forward for Venezuela.

25:20First of all, let's get there, shall we go?

25:22Even if we're maxed forward for Venezuela by Australia

25:23and all just all just Warburg must give us to Europe over the month's stage seal,

25:23Now let us put that into achievement in relation to life.

25:23and the one can help us build proudly,

25:23The world can help us be%لمed across space Woche.

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