- 13 hours ago
15/055/2026
FTS 8.30
*Peru: counting of first-round votes concludes
*Iran maintains full control of the Strait of Hormuz, 30 ships passed safely
FTS 8.30
*Peru: counting of first-round votes concludes
*Iran maintains full control of the Strait of Hormuz, 30 ships passed safely
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NewsTranscript
00:12Cuba's Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez denounced at the BRICS Foreign Minister's meeting the brutal
00:17tightening of the economic and energy blockade illegally imposed by the United States against
00:21the island. Peru's National Electoral Process Office released the final results of the recent
00:32presidential elections this Friday. And the naval authorities of the Islamic Republic of Iran through
00:43the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps have authorized the passage of 30 ships through the Strait of
00:48Port Moves, a move that strengthens around control of this maritime route. Hello, welcome to From the South,
00:59I'm Luis Alberto Matos from Dele Sur Studios in Caracas, Venezuela. We'll begin with the news.
01:18On Friday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov confirmed that the BRICS countries expressed their
01:25full solidity with Cuba in the face of escalating economic and political pressures from the United
01:29States during the meeting of foreign ministers of the powerful bloc held in New Delhi, the capital of
01:34India. The Russian Foreign Minister stated that the Alliance members agreed to reject unilateral
01:40coercive measures that seek only to punish sovereign governments and interfere in their internal affairs,
01:46and reaffirmed Russia's support in particular for that friendly nation within the Global South
01:51cooperation framework. The BRICS support takes on a significant political dimension by highlighting a
01:58growing coordination among emerging countries that question the use of unilateral sanctions as an
02:04international political tool.
02:13At the BRICS foreign ministers meeting, the Cuban government denounced the brutal tightening of the economic and energy
02:20to blockade illegally imposed by the United States against the island. The government also strengthened
02:25bilateral relations with the governments of Russia, Brazil, and India. Through the social media platform
02:32ex-Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez declared, I met with the foreign ministers of Russia, Sergei Lavrov,
02:38Brazil, Mauro Vieira, and India, Dr. Jay Sankar. We discussed the BRICS group's priorities in the complex
02:45international landscape. We exchanged views on the state of bilateral relations and opportunities to
02:51continue strengthening them in strategic sectors. I denounced the current escalation of threats and
02:58aggressions, the implementation of additional unilateral coercive measures, which further exacerbate the
03:04blockade and the energy blockade imposed by the government of the United States, which cause considerable harm to our people.
03:21On Thursday, the revolutionary government of Cuba confirmed a meeting in Havana, the country's capital,
03:27with a U.S. delegation. The visit, requested by Washington and authorized by the Cuba government,
03:33was led by John Radcliffe, director of the U.S. intelligence agency. The meeting, which included officials
03:38from Cuba's Ministry of the Interior, aimed to address issues related to security and cooperation. Havana emphasized that the
03:45meeting is part of efforts to maintain forums for political dialogue, even amid structural disagreements. One of the points was
03:54the island's position on terrorism pre-affirming its historical record of rejecting it in all its forms. The meeting left
04:00open the possibility of making progress on mechanisms for bilateral cooperation.
04:11Venezuela's ministry of electricity, Rolando Alcala held a meeting with the U.S. charged affairs in the country, John Barrett,
04:19to evaluate strategies aimed at strengthening the national electricity system. According to the Ministry of Electricity, the meeting focused on
04:27projects to modernize and restore the energy infrastructure with the goal of improving the stability and reliability of the
04:34service in Venezuela. The authorities noted that these actions are part of the plans promoted by the executive branch to
04:41advance the recovery of the system and address the failures recorded in various regions of the country over the past
04:47few months. For its part, the U.S. diplomatic mission indicated that the discussions include technical cooperation and possible investment
04:55initiatives to support the reconstruction of the Venezuelan electric grid.
05:06The presidential candidates in Colombia are stepping up their final campaign efforts on seeking to secure crucial votes in the
05:13country's key polling stations. The race for the Colombian presidency enters a crucial phase ahead of the first run on
05:19May 31st, 2026, as the candidates seek to bring their regional tours to a climatic conclusion before the ban on
05:26mass rally takes effect.
05:28Iván Cepeda and Abelardo de la espereira will bring their mass rallies to a close when the legal deadline for
05:34campaigning in streets, squares, and public spaces expires next Sunday, May 24th. For her part, the far-right presidential candidate,
05:42Paloma Valencia, of the Central Democratic Party, will hold her campaign closing event this Friday in front of the City
05:47Hall in Cali.
05:56Colombia-Colombian president Gustavo Buechner apologized to the Uwa indigenous people on behalf of the Colombian government and committed to
06:02comply with the ruling by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights.
06:05The International Court found the state responsible for violating the territorial, cultural, and environmental rights of this community in Boyaca
06:14by allowing attractive projects without prior consultation.
06:18During the ceremony, the president assured that the government will move forward urgently with the protection and expansion of the
06:26Ancestral Reserve.
06:27However, he clarified that full compliance with the ruling does not depend solely on the executive branch but also involves
06:33the judicial and legislative branches.
06:35Criticizing the absence of other state institutions at the event.
06:45Let's take our first break. Stay with us.
07:07Welcome back.
07:08Peru's National Electoral Processes Office released the final results of the recent presidential elections this Friday.
07:15The OMPES final tally shows which candidates led the presidential vote in each region and where their main electoral support
07:21was concentrated.
07:22The National Electoral Jury will announce the results of the first round of the presidential election on Sunday, May 17.
07:28The results indicate that Keiko Fujimori and Roberto Sánchez will face off in a runoff.
07:33According to the country's law, the president-elect will begin a five-year term on July 28, 2026.
07:47Now let's take a look at the candidates who will be facing off in a runoff.
07:51Roberto Sánchez Palomino, the presidential candidate for the Together for Peru Party, received 2,015,114 votes.
07:59Let's learn more about him.
08:01Roberto Sánchez Palomino is a lawyer, sitting congressman, and former minister of foreign trade and tourism throughout Pedro Castillo's government.
08:12As the leading candidate for the left, his rise is largely explained by the support of the rural electorate, which
08:18supported former president Castillo.
08:20Palomino's agenda includes partnering Castillo and convening a constituent assembly to refound the state by means of a new constitution.
08:28According to some polls, he was poised to win on the first run in rural areas.
08:39Keiko Fujimori Higuchi, daughter of former Peruvian dictator Alberto Fujimori, is running for president of the country for the Popular
08:46Force Party.
08:47This is the fourth time that the 49-year-old candidate enters the presidential race, representing the nation's far right
08:53wing.
08:54Fujimori has mainly exercised power from parliament, where her bloc has held a majority of seats during several governments.
09:02As a lawmaker, she has promoted presidential vacancies and legislations that, according to her critics, have favoured big businesses,
09:10have granted impunity to criminal and corrupt sectors, and have expanded the privileges of the political class.
09:22Also in Peru, authorities launched a preliminary investigation into former president Dina Boluarte
09:29for the alleged crime of money laundering in a case that also involved seven other individuals.
09:36The Third National Preliminary Investigation Court set a 36-month time frame for completing the proceedings
09:43and urged the prosecution to adhere to the timeline established by law.
09:47According to the Public Prosecutor's Office, the former president allegedly received illegal contributions
09:53to finance her election campaign as vice president, in addition to funds that were supposedly allocated
09:59to pay Vladimir Seferman's civil damages, leader of Pedro Libre, and affidavit from justice.
10:04The investigation is part of the Los Dinámicos del Centro case,
10:08an alleged criminal network accused of raising illegal funds to benefit members of the organization
10:13and to face legal proceedings.
10:22More than 1,300 military personnel and police officers were deployed in Puerto Boliva,
10:27in the Ecuadorian province of El Oro, on the border with Peru,
10:31as part of a security operation to regain control of the strategic area for the country's banana exports.
10:37Operation Total Cleanup includes air, sea, and land operations,
10:41as well as raids in areas identified by the authorities as hubs for organized crime.
10:46Defense Minister Giancarlo Lofredo stated that the goal is to maintain a permanent presence in the area
10:51to combat activities linked to drug trafficking, extortion, and criminal violence.
10:56During the first hours, the operational authorities reported the arrest of a suspected member of the Los Lobos group,
11:03as well as the seizure of weapons and drugs.
11:05The operation is taking place amid a rise in homicides and clashes between criminal gangs
11:10in Mashala and all areas of El Oro.
11:20In Ecuador, the Citizens' Revolution Movement filed a complaint on Thursday
11:24alleging procedural fraud against the prosecutor in the Caja Chica case.
11:29The legal action follows the official's petition to the contentious electoral court
11:34to suspend the Correista movement while investigations into the case are underway.
11:39Gabriela Rivadeneira, president of the organization, went to the prosecutor's office in Quito together
11:46with Attorney General Gabriel Rivera to formalize the complaint.
11:51According to the leader, this attempt to suspend the party seeks to curb its political participation
11:57under legal arguments she considers invalid and manipulated.
12:02Rivadeneira stated that the possible cancellation of the movement is an attack on democracy
12:08and the citizens' rights to vote freely at the polls.
12:17And Bolivia reports its third death amid anti-government protests by sectors of the working class.
12:23The 20-year-old woman had an underlying medical condition.
12:27Media reports say she couldn't get to a health care facility quickly enough due to a lack of transportation
12:31and road restrictions.
12:33This death follows two previous deaths under similar circumstances, while the government of Rodrigo Paz
12:39refuses to meet the demands of more than 50 labor unions affiliated with the Bolivian Labor Federation.
12:44These unions are maintaining a general strike and protest actions in the streets in an attempt to be heard.
12:50In light of these events, the country's working class demands the resignation of the executive branch,
12:55alleging its inability to govern.
13:05The investigation into the Hantavirus outbreak detected on the cruise ship MV Honduras raised tensions
13:11between Argentina and Chile, while doubts remain about the origin of the outbreak.
13:16The vessel sailed from Ushuaia in southern Argentina, bound for Antarctica,
13:21and the outbreak resulted in a list with death and several confirmed cases among the passengers.
13:25Argentine authorities detected rejected claims suggesting a possible infection in Ushuaia
13:31and denounced attempts to damage the city's tourist image, one of the main gateways to Antarctica.
13:38For its part, the Chilean Ministry of Health ruled out that the victims had been infected
13:43on Chilean territory, noting that the incubation periods did not match.
13:47Meanwhile, specialists continued to investigate the passengers' itineraries
13:52and analyzed possible sources of virus transmission in Patagonia.
14:02A new Ebola outbreak is rocking the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
14:07Health authorities and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed on Friday that there have been
14:1265 deaths and 246 suspected cases.
14:16According to the epidemiological report, most cases are concentrated mainly in Mongualu
14:21and Ruwampara in the Uturi province in the east of the country.
14:25The outbreak was identified after the National Institute of Biomedical Research detected the virus,
14:31which belongs to a strain different from the SIDA variant in 13 of the 20 samples analyzed.
14:36This makes the outbreak a threat of regional scope, is the context in which it is unfolding,
14:42as the high mobility of the population and the migratory flows linked to conflict in mining areas
14:49are setting off all alarms regarding the possibility of mass infection.
14:58And the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations has warned that more than 26.5 million
15:05people are facing a food crisis in the United Republic of the Congo.
15:09In a report, the organization stated that humanitarian aid to the Democratic Republic of the Congo is
15:15insufficient given the magnitude of the needs faced by the Congolese people.
15:20The international organization notes that an additional $163 million is needed to expand supply
15:27support despite security conditions caused by armed groups. The UN describes the situation in Congo
15:32as one of the most severe and widespread food crises worldwide.
15:44A final short break. Don't go away.
16:06U.S. President Donald Trump concluded his official visit to China on Friday where he held a summit
16:12with his counterpart Xi Jinping, considered by Beijing to be a historic meeting for relations between the
16:17two powers. During his stay, the leaders held meetings focused on trade issues, economic cooperation,
16:23and international affairs. In addition to participating in protocolary activities and official meetings,
16:29the U.S. President was accompanied by executives from major U.S. technology and financial companies,
16:35on an agenda that also included meetings with representatives of the business sector.
16:40At the conclusion of the visit, the U.S. President highlighted the agreements which
16:45have been established and described the trip as beneficial for both countries, and expressed his
16:49deep respect for the Chinese leader.
17:08Russia and Ukraine have conducted a new exchange of prisoners of war with the release of 205 soldiers from
17:14each side, according to the Russian Ministry of Defense. According to Moscow, the repatriated Russian
17:21soldiers are currently in Belarus, where they are receiving medical care and psychological support
17:26following their release. Russian authorities also noted that the United Arab Emirates acted as a mediator
17:31to facilitate the exchange between the two sides. The exchange comes amid diplomatic efforts to
17:36reduce tensions between Moscow and Kyiv, as talks continue on possible ceasefire agreements and future
17:42larger-scale prisoner exchanges. U.S. Secretary General Antonio Guterres welcomed the agreement between the
17:54Yemeni government and Ansar al-Ala to release more than 1,600 prisoners. This is the largest prisoner
18:02exchange since the war began, a step that the Secretary described as a positive step towards peace in the
18:09region. Guterres expressed his gratitude for the mediation of the Red Cross, Jordan, Oman and Switzerland
18:16in negotiations. He also urged both sides to maintain this momentum and work with the United Nations on an
18:23inclusive political process that would lead to a definitive solution to the conflict. The diplomat also
18:30called on the hoof of the government to immediately release all UN and diplomatic mission staff who have been
18:36arbitrarily detained.
19:01The Iranian people are demonstrating their national unity in overcoming difficulties,
19:07as well as their solidity and sacrifices during the reconstruction of the country in the
19:13wake of the U.S. and Israeli attacks.
19:16Iranian President Masoud Pashashkian expressed his gratitude to the entire country for the level of
19:21awareness, sacrifice and effort they have made to rebuild the country. The Iranian leader noted that
19:26the people have demonstrated that the path to overcoming difficulties is national solidity,
19:32and just as they stood united during the war, they will overcome the reconstruction period through empathy
19:38and unity. In this regard, the country is moving forward with government aid and support operations in
19:45various sectors and expressions of public support for the Islamic establishment in the face of foreign aggression.
20:01The naval authorities of the Islamic Republic of Iran through the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps have
20:06authorized the passage of 30 ships through the Strait of Hormuz, a move that strengthens Iran's control
20:12with this maritime route. The crossings took place between Wednesday night and early Friday morning
20:19on the direct coordination of Iranian authorities and with security guarantees provided by the Islamic
20:24Revolutionary Guard Corps. The vessels that cross the Strait are mainly ships linked to China, but no
20:32further details are known. Iranian Armed Forces reaffirmed that this action confirms that only Iran can
20:38guarantee the safe passage of vessels through the Gulf.
20:48And millions of Palestinians are marking the 78th anniversary of the NAGMA on May 15th, a word that means
20:56catastrophe in Arabic, a historical event that marked the forced displacement of nearly 75,000 Palestinians in 1948.
21:06During the creation of the State of Israel and which continues today. This year's commemorations take on a
21:12particularly deep meaning as they coincide with the current situation in the Gaza Strip where more than
21:18two million people remained displaced and confined to a small portion of the territory amidst the war of
21:24extermination being waged by Israel and the United States. The protests taking place around the world not
21:29only commemorate the past but also constitute a relevant political statement. Civil society, organizations,
21:35survivors and activists emphasize the commemoration of the NAGMA while denouncing the current conditions in
21:42the Gaza Strip and reaffirming the Palestinian people's right to self-determination, dignity and return to their territories.
21:55On the 78th anniversary of the NAGMA, the Palestinian government calls for a just solution to the
22:01conflict with Israel and the creation of an independent and sovereign state. The Palestinian foreign ministry
22:07called on the international community to end the ongoing conflict as NAGMA Day is classified as a crime
22:13against humanity. The authority also demanded respect for Palestine's international rights and the
22:18self-determination of a sovereign state with Jerusalem as its capital. The Palestinian authority also
22:23stressed the need to guarantee the safe return of refugees. The state marks the expulsion of hundreds
22:27of thousands of Palestinians from their land in 1948 following the creation of the state of Israel.
22:40Like this, welcome to the end of this news brief. You can find more on our website at
22:44www.telesurenglish.net and also on our social media. For Telesur English, I'm Luis Alberto Matos.
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