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* China reaffirms its support for Cuba despite pressure from the US
* Iran announces the opening of the Strait of Hormuz
* Iran announces the opening of the Strait of Hormuz
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00:12Venezuela is normalizing its status in the global financial system as the IMF and World Bank
00:17resume full operations with the country. In Chile, the first deportation of flight-carrying migrants
00:25in an irregular situation departed from Santiago with 40 foreign nationals on board.
00:34And less than 24 hours after the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon took effect,
00:38local sources reported ongoing bombardment by the Zionist regime against Lebanese towns.
00:50Hello, welcome to From the South. I'm Luis Alberto Matos from De Lesos Studios in Caracas, Venezuela.
00:55We begin with the news.
01:09This Thursday, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank announced the former
01:13resumption of operations with Venezuela. IMF Director Cristalina Georgieva confirmed that
01:19the organization will work with Venezuela's acting president, Jose Rodriguez, who welcomed the
01:24normalization of relations. A few minutes later, a similar announcement was made by the World Bank.
01:29Caracas' ties with the fund were severed after this multilateral organization decided to recognize
01:34an illegitimate organization as the government. The World Bank, for its part, when making public
01:39the announcement marking the restoration of Venezuela's representation, noted that the country
01:43has been a member since 1946. The acting president expressed gratitude for the organization's
01:49correction and welcomed the fact that the Bolivarian nation is normalizing processes with these
01:53organizations which involve rights and responsibilities.
02:01Likewise, the acting president of Venezuela, De Lesos Rodriguez, thanked the International Monetary Fund for the resumed participation of Venezuela
02:08in the organization.
02:12Well, I would also like to take this opportunity to welcome the announcement made by the International Monetary Fund. I
02:21would like to thank its director,
02:23Cristalina Georgieva, because we have resumed Venezuela's representation in this international organization. We are normalizing all processes that involve
02:34Venezuela's rights and responsibilities within the organization. This is a very important step for the Venezuelan economy, but also for
02:43what Venezuela means to our region. It has been a great achievement for Venezuela's diplomacy, and I would also like
02:51to thank all the countries and governments that supported Venezuela's return to the International Monetary Fund.
03:03On Thursday, Venezuela's acting president, De Lesos Rodriguez, enacted the Organic Mining Law, which aims to attract investment under a
03:11framework that prioritizes environmental sustainability and labor safety.
03:15At the Manuel Carlos P.R. Leasing Plant in Bolivar State, Minister for Ecological Mining Development, Héctor Silva and other
03:22national authorities emphasized that the law will transform the mining sector by promoting production, exploration and national and international investment.
03:30The authorities were joined by miners who participated in the consultation process leading up to the law's enactment. In this
03:36scenario, the miners thanked the National Assembly for establishing legal certainty through the legislation.
03:43Additionally, the minister distributed production and social protection materials within the mining sector.
03:56And in this regard, the Vice President of Economic Affairs, Calixto Ortega, referred to the continued growth in the oil
04:02and mining sectors.
04:05Well, it's important to note that economic growth is widespread, but the oil and mining sectors are definitely among the
04:14main sectors driving economic activity and growth.
04:18In the case of the mining sector, it is not just growing, it is growing vigorously, at a double-digit
04:26rate, closing out 2025 with over 20% growth across all minerals, and with preliminary figures that also show that
04:36the first quarter, despite the extraordinary situation we are currently facing, is also showing a quarter of growth and positive
04:46activity.
04:46This is obviously the result of the efforts of the authorities, workers, the private sector, and the public sector, and
04:56we have high hopes that all these investors who have been assisted over the last 100 days, will see with
05:03their own eyes, the sector's potential, and finally decide to proceed with the investments they are currently considering.
05:18The President of the National Assembly of Venezuela, Jorge Rodriguez, saw a meeting with a delegation from the European Union
05:24to advance mutual cooperation.
05:26The President of the Venezuelan legislature noted that the European delegation included diplomats Pelayo Castro, Adriana Vázquez, and María Antonieta
05:34Calvo Puerta.
05:35Likewise, Rodriguez emphasized that in line with the policy of permanent dialogue, we established a work agenda focused on productive
05:41development.
05:42One of the highlights of the meeting was the ratification of the diplomatic commitment under the principles of sovereignty.
05:48Within the framework of permanent dialogue, both parties defined a work agenda oriented toward productive development, reaffirming their will to
05:56advance mutual cooperation based on respect.
06:15In Peru, more than 93% of the voting records have been counted following the recent election on April 12th.
06:21The National Electoral Processors Office continues to update the official results of the 2026 general elections in all regions of
06:28the country.
06:29Premier results indicate that right-wing presidential candidate Keiko Fujimori remains in first place with 17%, followed by left-wing
06:36candidate Roberto Sanchez with 11.98%,
06:39after surpassing Renovacion Popular candidate Rafael López Aliaga with 11.92%.
06:44Electoral authorities note that a small percentage of votes remain to be counted, including votes from abroad and hard-to
06:51-reach areas.
06:58And the presidential candidate of the Together for Peru party, Roberto Sanchez, called on the people to defend democracy and
07:04the popular will in the face of alleged illegal actions that may be taking place in the country during the
07:09electoral process.
07:10At a press conference, Sanchez regretted that candidates from Renovacion Popular, instead of presenting evidence and vote tally sheets, are
07:17engaging in actions that go against a healthy democratic spirit.
07:20He said he laments that other parties are focused on creating chaos, and he challenged his opponents to act responsibly
07:26and not hinder the Peruvian electoral process.
07:29The call comes amid growing political tension due to allegations of irregularities in the elections.
07:40In light of recent events, we want to affirm our regret that the candidates, particularly those from Renovacion Popular,
08:06are engaging in actions that we believe run counter to a healthy democratic spirit and the responsibility not to add
08:16chaos to this electoral process.
08:23In other topics, in Honduras, deputies from the Liberty and Reef Foundation Party report at Marlon David Ochoa, a member
08:30of the National Electoral Council,
08:31left the country and is reportedly seeking political asylum in an undisclosed nation.
08:36Ochoa has reported in previous months receiving death threats against himself and his family in the context of an impeachment
08:41process against electoral officials linked to that party.
08:44Three of those summoned to appear before the full National Congress, including two alternate judges of the Electoral Justice Tribunal,
08:50and Ochoa himself, did not show up.
08:52Only Judge Mario Morazan attended, in a process that critical sectors describe as lacking rigor, where artificial intelligence was even
09:00used to formulate questions.
09:09And in Chile, the first deportation flight carrying migrants in an irregular situation departed from Santiago, with 40 foreign nationals
09:16on board.
09:16The flight is part of the migrant expulsion plan implemented by the José Antonio Caste administration.
09:21The Pinochetist government of Caste plans to carry out free monthly flights at a cost of $4.5 million and
09:29is considering supplementing air transfers with ground up evacuations by bus.
09:33The Caste administration justifies the expulsions by linking the migrant community to crimes such as drug trafficking, violent robbery, and
09:41illegal entry into the country.
09:42Human rights organizations have denounced this measure, arguing that it criminalizes the migrant population, violates due process guarantees, and deepens
09:50the vulnerability of the most disadvantaged sectors within the framework of a xenophobic policy.
10:02And in Mexico, on Thursday, the CEO of the national oil company Petróleos Mexicanos, Victor Rodriguez, took responsibility for the
10:10oil spill that occurred on February 4th in the Gulf of Mexico.
10:13According to the company's director, officials not only denied the leak, but also hid contaminated water recovered from the containment
10:20barriers.
10:21In a detailed report presented to the media, he reported on the number of irregularities committed by officials who have
10:28already been removed from the state-owned company.
10:31The Mexican government has established a permanent observatory for the Gulf of Mexico to prevent and respond to disasters of
10:38this nature.
10:51Among the irregularities detected in those logs and in that information, the following stand out, number one, a loss of
10:59mechanical integrity, and the repair of an oil pipeline.
11:02I was not informed of these activities, nor were the company's senior management, number two, a hydrocarbon leak at Pemex
11:09facilities.
11:09Such a leak had been systematically denied by the operations departments, especially in March, when oil spills began to reach
11:17the coasts of the Gulf of Mexico.
11:19Number three, the coincidence between the site where the integrity failure of the oil pipeline was detected
11:28and the site identified by scientists as the source of the oil slick observed in the satellite images presented by
11:35the secretary.
11:39Number four, the hiding of at least 350 cubic meters of oily water recovered in the containment barriers.
11:48Number five, the contradiction between a simple leak and the large-scale deployment of a total of 11 vessels used
11:55to contain, recover,
11:58and disperse the hydrocarbons that escaped from the pipeline.
12:02Number six, the decision not to shut off the flow entirely to limit the duration and magnitude of the spill.
12:08The main valve was closed on February 14, eight days after the leak was detected.
12:19And the Vaxera therapeutic vaccine, developed by Cuba's Center for Molecular Immunology, received the 2025 Innovation Technology Award.
12:27The drug represents a key advance in the treatment of patients with advanced lung cancer.
12:31The medication works by generating a response from the immune system that breaks down the tumor cells, a scientific process
12:38known as oncosis.
12:39According to Cuban researchers, the vaccine has proven to be highly effective in more than 90% of cases of
12:45non-small cell tumors,
12:47improving the quality of life of those who have already received chemotherapy.
12:51Following a 10-year study of more than 1,300 patients, it was confirmed that the vaccine is safe and
12:56easy to administer in local health centers.
12:58With this achievement, Cuba consolidates a medical alternative that rivals the world's best oncological therapies,
13:03standing out for its safety and efficacy in controlling the disease.
13:15And a total of 91 Cuban migrants in a earlier situation were returned to the island from the United States
13:21as part of bilateral agreements to manage migration flows.
13:24The group, made up of 76 men and 15 women, arrived on a flight at Havana's Jose Martí International Airport,
13:32where they were received by local authorities to begin their reintegration process.
13:36With this operation, the number of people returned to Cuba during the first four months of the year rises to
13:41530.
13:42Likewise, these returns have been carried out through 14 separate operations from various countries in the region.
13:48In addition, the Cuban government reiterated its commitment to regular, safe and orderly migration.
14:17A sea fire was announced between Israel and Lebanon after U.S. mediated talks.
14:22U.S. President Donald Trump ratified the cessation of facilities after holding direct dialogue with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and
14:29Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
14:31According to official reports, the sea fire took effect at midnight on Thursday and would last 10 days.
14:36In this scenario, Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Ismail Paquet welcomed the announcement
14:41and noted that the cessation of the war in Lebanon was part of the ceasefire understanding between Iran and the
14:46United States mediated by Pakistan.
14:53However, less than 24 hours after the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon took effect,
14:58local sources reported ongoing bombardment by the Syrian regime against the Lebanese towns of Qiyam and Divine.
15:04Going to media outlets in western Bekaa, the Israeli army conducted intensive reconnaissance flights over the Rashaya area
15:10and the western slope of Mount Hermon.
15:13In this context, Israel also increased machine gun sweeps in residential areas.
15:23Dozens of Palestinian children have been prevented from accessing their right to education since the beginning of the week
15:29by a handful of Israeli settlers who have the backing of the Genocide of Forces.
15:33In addition to besieging children, most of whom are under 13 years old,
15:37Israeli settlers have set up a fence that prevents them from passing through to the small village of Umm Al
15:43-Hir,
15:43where their school is located.
15:45Additionally, they have implanted an Israeli flag in Palestinian territory
15:49and attacked them with tear gas bombs under the watchful eye of heavily armed soldiers.
15:54Palestinian children resist and hope for an opportunity to avoid violence and get to school.
15:58Education, free movement and cultural human rights that Israel has decided to take away from children of school age.
16:29Pope Leo XIV continues his visit to Cameroon as part of his apostolic journey through Africa.
16:35On Friday, the Pope was received at Douala Airport by the regional authorities.
16:39Douala is the third city in Cameroon on the program where the Pope offered a mass at the Hapoma Stadium.
16:44Douala is the capital of the litoral region on the Gulf of Guinea,
16:48one of the largest urban areas and is considered the country's commercial capital.
16:52Later, he visited the Catholic St. Paul Hospital privately.
16:56Through this apostolic journey, Pope Leo XIV aims to deliver a message of peace
17:01amidst the ongoing conflicts that are taking place around the world.
17:11And on Friday, the fifth edition of the Antalaya Diplomacy Forum kicked off in Turkey,
17:16bringing together world leaders and senior officials to address growing global uncertainty.
17:20The three-day forum takes place in the southern Mediterranean city of Antalaya under the theme
17:26Mapping Tomorrow, Managing Uncertainties.
17:29More than 150 countries are represented at the event, including over 20 heads of state and government
17:36and nearly 15 deputy leaders.
17:38The forum also brings together more than 50 ministers, over 40 of them foreign ministers,
17:43as well as representatives from 75 international organizations.
17:47The forum features more than 40 panels and events, including leadership-level discussions,
17:52addressing political, economic, environmental and technological challenges,
17:56with a particular focus on the evolving global landscape.
18:05Around Thursday, the French President Emmanuel Macron held a videoconference with leaders of the European Union,
18:11including the Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez,
18:13with the aim of pressuring the organization to prohibit social media for underage users.
18:18The initiative has the support of France, Spain, Italy, Greece, Denmark and Slovenia,
18:23which have already taken steps at national level,
18:25although there are differences of opinion on the minimum age for establishing a potential digital majority.
18:31The proposal faces opposition from several Nordic and Baltic states,
18:35which defend strengthening parental control instead of imposing a general ban.
18:39This is a debate that divides the European Union on how to regulate the impact of platforms like TikTok
18:44on the health and development of young people.
18:47The meeting was also attended by the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen.
18:58Well, at this, we have come to the end of this news movie.
19:00You can find more on our website at treasureenglish.net and also on our social media.
19:04For Treasure English, I'm Luis Alberto Matos. Thank you for watching.
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