- 4 hours ago
02/04/2026
FTS 12.30
*Ecuadorian Judicial authorities take action to void 2026-2027 election schedule
*Iran attacks U.S. steel and aluminum plants in the region
FTS 12.30
*Ecuadorian Judicial authorities take action to void 2026-2027 election schedule
*Iran attacks U.S. steel and aluminum plants in the region
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NewsTranscript
00:10The Russian government announced it is preparing the dispatch of a second oil tanker to Cuba amid the energy crisis
00:16griping the island due to the U.S. blockade.
00:23At least four legal cases in Ecuador before the contentious electoral quorum 2 before the contentious constitutional court seek to
00:30overturn the ruling that formalized the update to the 2026-2027 election calendar.
00:40The Iranian government, in exercising its legitimate right to self-defense, attacked U.S. steel and aluminum plants located in
00:48the Middle East after the bombing of several Iranian industries.
01:05Hello, welcome to From the South. I'm Luis Alberto Matos from Delsu Studios in Caracas, Venezuela. We begin the news.
01:25And as part of the 23rd session of the Cuba-Russia Intergovernmental Commission held in St. Petersburg, Moscow reaffirmed its
01:31commitment to economic, energy and scientific cooperation with Cuba.
01:35This is Moscow's direct response to the crisis worsened by the United States' brutal blockade of the island.
01:41Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernychenko led the discussion and placed Cuba's energy crisis at the top of the agenda,
01:48highlighting the recent arrival of an oil tanker carrying 100,000 tons of fuel and committing to new shipments.
01:54In the food sector, 90 Russian companies have expressed their willingness to export meat, dairy and fish products to the
02:02Cuban market.
02:02In the health and scientific field, the session resulted in an agreement of high strategic value,
02:08a signing of a memorandum between the Russian company Promet and Cuba's Center for Molecular Immunology for the development of
02:14cancer vaccines.
02:22And the Russian government announced it is preparing the dispatch of a second oil tanker to Cuba amid the energy
02:28crisis gripping the island due to the U.S. blockade.
02:30The Russian Minister of Energy, Sergei Silebev, indicated that this new shipment seeks to reaffirm Russia's support for the Cuban
02:38people,
02:38who are under a total blockade imposed by the United States.
02:41It also stated that they will never leave the Cuban people in trouble and hope this solidarity aid will help
02:46alleviate the fuel crisis in Cuba,
02:49which has increased blackouts as well as resulting in a decrease in public transportation.
02:53Previously, the Russian Federation sent the Russian oil tanker, Anatoly Kolodkin, to Cuba with a cargo of 100,000 tons
03:00of crude oil as Soy Dati aid,
03:02which remains in the port of Matanzas before unload.
03:11And on Thursday, Cubans gathered for the Here with Fidel Anti-Imperialist Youth Parade organized by the Young Communist Party
03:18League
03:18and the José Martà Pioneer Organization to celebrate the anniversary of their establishment.
03:24Students, young people and workers from the capital attended the event, reaffirming that the banners of the revolution will remain
03:32flying high.
03:33The event was also attended by the President of the Republic, Miguel DĂaz-Canel.
03:39And now they are upheld by the conviction that Cuba's future is built on dignity, unity and creative resilience
03:48through the strength of their voices and determination in their steps.
03:52Students and young people demonstrating that no adversity could shake their faith in the revolution or their belief in socialism.
04:06And the Federation of Cuban Women together with authorities of Plaza de la RevoluciĂłn in Havana, the country's capital,
04:13are launching a project to support vulnerable people in Cuba.
04:16This initiative combines social work with the efforts of local women entrepreneurs to ensure food assistance
04:21for the elderly pregnant women and citizens facing economic hardships.
04:26At the heart of this effort is Isabel Ferra González, who from her restaurant, Razones y Motivos, devotes most of
04:33her time
04:34to preparing lunches for the neighbors most in need.
04:36Her efforts are an example of empathy and social responsibility as she allocates her own income and resources to selflessly
04:43help her community.
04:45This is an essential project that demonstrates how the commitment of Cuban women is a fundamental driving force
04:51for moving forward and successfully facing current challenges.
05:00We try to give them the best we can.
05:03I serve them the same lunch as my staff who number around 15 people a day.
05:09And I also give the older people lunch every day between 12.30 and 1 p.m.
05:15They come and pick up their lunch.
05:20Isabel Ferraz, owner of the restaurant, Razones y Motivos, explained why the simple act of helping others can make us
05:25feel good.
05:28It is not a sacrifice. I actually get a lot of pleasure out of it. A lot of pleasure.
05:35Because for me, seniors are a top priority. I always tell people who know me that I am much more
05:42moved, an old person,
05:43than by a child, than by an elderly person, than by an elderly person, than by a child, even though
05:49I adore children.
05:51So it's not a sacrifice, the word I use to describe it. It gives me pleasure to do it.
05:56Yes, it increases my costs, that's true, but it's not a sacrifice as much. We do it with great pleasure,
06:04me and my staff.
06:05In fact, sometimes we have problems with water or electricity, and what we guarantee is this, that our workers get
06:13lunch while they're here,
06:15and that the elderly get lunch, even if we have to close up and go home afterwards.
06:23And the Cuban government presented its update to its 2026 Economic and Social Program,
06:27a document that outlines the plan to reactivate the economy in a context marked by the criminal pressure of the
06:32United States against the island.
06:33The program, developed in accordance with the documents approved at the 7th Congress of the Communist Party of Cuba,
06:41defines the objective, methods and timing of government actions with precision.
06:46In this way, it becomes a guiding document for the necessary transformations with its scope, not limited to the central
06:52level.
06:53The plan is articulated with the provincial and municipal development strategies, ensuring an integrated territorial management.
07:09First, food production was a topic of discussion regarding how it was going. This was one of the agreements.
07:15Second, export as another important element. And within that, as a key driver, we could mention foreign currency financing schemes
07:23for exports,
07:24how they are progressing, where they stand, and the fundamental objective of this analysis at this time, in the first
07:30quarter of the year,
07:31is to assess where we stand and what else can be done to achieve compliance.
07:36And there, we also look at the possibilities of what the companies can do and what the agency can do
07:41to ensure that these important parameters of the plan are met,
07:45our main indicators of the economic plan.
07:51Let's now take our first break. Stay with us.
08:11Welcome back. In Venezuela, the faithful believers commemorate the consecration of the faith during Halloween 2026 with a variety of
08:18celebrations.
08:19Religious events on Wednesday centered on the Basilica of Santa Teresa for the procession of the Nazareno de San Pablo,
08:26where the faithful don't pop up ropes to walk alongside him.
08:30On Thursday and Friday, families make the rounds of the seven churches where moments of silence and prayer are observed
08:36before the placed sacrament.
08:38On Friday, the community participates in the Stations of the Cross to reenact the journey to Calvary.
08:45The commemoration concludes on Sunday with the Easter Mass, where Venezuelans gather to celebrate the closing of Holy Week.
09:03And Guatemalan believers also celebrate and commemorate the passion, death, and resurrection of Christ through traditions that have been preserved
09:11throughout their history,
09:12and passed down since colonial times.
09:16They blend Catholic devotion with Maya culture, combining colors, the scent of incense, and funeral march music.
09:24Their festivities centered on processions, and one of the most notable is that of JesĂşs Nazareno de la Merced, held
09:30on Holy Tuesday and known as La Reseña,
09:32where flowers are thrown as the faithful marched forward.
09:42And another Latin American country that celebrates Holy Week is Ecuador.
09:45The faithful participate in processions, sacred music concerts, for worship and events such as theater,
09:51performances, and expressions of faith in churches and squares in various cities across the country.
09:58Believers also visit the seven churches on Holy Thursday, where they hold the procession of the Light.
10:04On Friday, they hold the procession of Jesus of Great Power and the procession of the Devils of La Merced.
10:10On Eastern Sunday, various Eucharist and Masses are held at the cathedral.
10:21In a topic, at least four legal cases in Ecuador before the contentious electoral court,
10:27and two before the constitutional court, seek to overturn the ruling that formalized the update to the 2026-2027 election
10:34calendar.
10:35Various legal avenues involving political actors and citizens are attempting to block a decision by the electoral body,
10:41which was justified on the grounds of an alleged climate risk, but which has been questioned for its impact for
10:48the stability of democratic rules.
10:50The plaintiffs base their claims on the assertion that the measure has no legal basis,
10:54and also violates Article 98 of the Democracy Code by exceeding the 104-day period allocated for candidate registration.
11:08And in 2025, Ecuador endured its most violent year ever by recording an alarming total of 9,216 murders,
11:16which represents an intentional homicide rate of 50.91 per 100,000 inhabitants.
11:22This critical scenario is further aggravated by the inefficient management of the Ministry of the Interior,
11:27which failed to execute 32% of its total budget, equivalent to $31 million.
11:33During this accountability session, Minister John Reinberg admitted to this poor resource utilization amidst a security emergency,
11:40although he highlighted investments in communication technology and community vigilance units.
11:47Nevertheless, analysts argue that such measures remain insufficient to effectively address the nation's surging insecurity problem.
12:01Despite this, police conducted over 712,000 operations.
12:06Communality did not decrease as projected.
12:08On the contrary, it increased significantly under the current neoliberal crisis.
12:18And the Haitian government announced a fuel price hike that will take effect this Thursday.
12:23The measure is in response to rising international oil prices and comes amid a climate marked by insecurity in various
12:29regions of the country.
12:31According to officials, the increase affects products such as gasoline, diesel and kerosene, with significant hikes compared to previous prices.
12:38Along with this decision, the government also announced austerity measures, including reducing fuel expenditures and limiting the purchase of government
12:46vehicles.
12:47The adjustment could directly affect public transportation, where it is common for fares to rise due to such increases,
12:55potentially creating tensions between drivers and passengers.
13:02A general rise in the prices of goods and services is also expected in the coming days in a country
13:07that is completely dependent on oil imports.
13:25In Afghanistan, floods have left at least 48 people dead and more than 70 injured.
13:30Heavy rains, which have been affecting the country since March, continue to cause damage in various regions.
13:36In the last few hours, new casualties have been reported, as well as the destruction of dozens of homes.
13:41More than a thousand families have been affected, and several of them have been forced to leave their homes.
13:46Among the most affected areas are Kabul, along with other provinces in the east, north and center of the country.
13:53World authorities have warned that rainfall could continue in the coming days, keeping the risk of further flooding high.
14:06We now have our second break. Don't go away.
14:32The Iranian government, in full exercise of its legitimate right to self-defense, attacked US steel and aluminum plants.
14:37Located in the Middle East, after the bombing of several Iranian industries.
14:42The Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corp stated that the attack was carried out using a combination of missiles and drones
14:47against strategic US targets.
14:49They also issued a warning to US President Donald Trump to refrain from his threats, which could lead to the
14:54conflict spreading beyond the region.
14:55Since February 28th, the United States and Israel have jointly attacked Iran, killing more than 1,300 civilians.
15:07And Iran reports that more than 115,000 civilian facilities were damaged across the country following criminal actions by the
15:14United States and Israel.
15:15In a statement, the Iranian Red Crescent specified that among the damaged infrastructure are approximately 91,000 apartments and about
15:21763 educational facilities.
15:24The organization knows that 18 facilities belong to the Red Crescent and also suffered structural damage amid the attacks.
15:30It's worth to recall that since February 28th, the United States and Israel have been conducting an offensive against the
15:36territory of the Islamic Republic,
15:38which has resulted in thousands of deaths and injuries, to which Iran has responded with several defensive operations.
16:01The Brazilian government condemned the recent attacks by Israel against the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Lebanon and against a
16:09group of journalists.
16:10President Lula da Silva described these events as a grave violation of international law and demanded an immediate cessation of
16:16facilities.
16:17The Ministry of Foreign Affairs formally denounced the death of three Indonesian peacekeepers and three Lebanese journalists.
16:23It also rejected the occupation of Lebanese territory, considering it a flagrant violation of territorial sovereignty and international agreements.
16:32Brazil sent its condolences to the families of the victims and called on all parties to respect the current ceasefire.
16:38Brazil demands the fulfillment of the Security Council resolutions to guarantee stability and peace in the region.
16:53And Russia described the Northland Treaty Treaty Organization as a hostile alliance against Moscow in the context of President Donald
17:00Trump's statements about withdrawing from the military bloc.
17:03When asked whether Russia had heard the U.S. President's statements, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that Moscow had had
17:11the opportunity to review them.
17:12In recent years, Russia has denounced unprecedented NATO activity near its western borders.
17:18Moscow has reiterated its concern over the organization's increased presence in Europe and stated that while Russia does not pose
17:26a threat to anyone, it will not ignore this dangerous activity.
17:37Russia is targeting strategic infrastructure in Ukraine to reach checkpoints manned by Ukrainian military forces and foreign terrorist groups.
17:44The Russian Ministry of Defense reported that more than 1,300 Ukrainian soldiers were killed during military operations.
17:49The military authority emphasized that the attacks were carried out using unmanned aerial vehicles as well as missiles and artillery.
17:56In addition, the report detailed the neutralization of 18 armored vehicles, some of which were U.S. made, and the
18:03downing of 291 drones.
18:27And on Wednesday, three civilians, including a child in critical condition, were injured by a campfire attributed to the genocide
18:32of Israeli forces in various locations of the Gaza Strip.
18:36The war of extermination waged by the Sarnis entity has caused thousands of victims.
18:40As numerous national and international organizations have denounced, in the latest attack, a child was seriously injured after reports of
18:46machine gun and artillery fire in the Mawasi area of Hanjunis.
18:50In the south of the enclave, other two civilians were shot in the Seitu neighborhood in Gaza City and in
18:54the vicinity of the Nusrat camp.
18:56In parallel, there were bombings and demolitions of homes in several areas of the territory.
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