Government promoted popular consultation continues in Ecuador. // Venezuelans vote in National Consultation for Community Projects. // Strike paralyzes West Bank in rejection of Israeli attacks on Nur Shams Refugee Camp. teleSUR
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00:00 [MUSIC PLAYING]
00:03 In Venezuela, citizens participate
00:09 in the great national consultation called
00:11 Communes Can Do More, with the objective
00:13 of defining popular projects for the communities.
00:16 In Ecuador, citizens go to the polls
00:22 to express their support or rejection
00:24 to the 11 questions of the popular consultation promoted
00:27 by President Daniel Novoa.
00:32 And in Palestine, a general strike
00:34 paralyzes the West Bank to denounce the Israeli bombings
00:37 in the Nurshams refugee camp.
00:39 Hello and welcome to From the South.
00:46 I'm Alejandra Garcia from Telesur Studios in Havana, Cuba.
00:49 We begin with the news.
00:50 In Venezuela, people participate in the great national
00:53 consultation called Communes Can Do More,
00:56 with the objective of defining by vote
00:58 the election of priority popular projects for the communities.
01:02 15,617 voting centers have been set up
01:06 in the 23 states of the South American nation
01:09 for this day of voting.
01:10 In this consultation, called by President Nicolás Maduro,
01:13 all Venezuelans, men and women over 15 years of age,
01:17 may participate who must choose among nearly 23,000
01:21 social projects proposed by the more than 4,500 communes
01:25 located in the national territory.
01:27 These projects are aimed at sectors
01:30 such as health, education, food security environment,
01:33 public services, and economy.
01:35 And the winning ones will be financed by the government
01:38 and executed by the organized communities themselves.
01:41 Venezuela holds a day of consultation on community
01:48 projects to improve the welfare of the people
01:51 and address their needs.
01:52 From Caracas, our correspondent Gladys Quesada
01:54 for more details on today's election exercise.
01:56 Yes, thanks for the time and also for this contact.
02:02 I'm almost whispering because right now we are in a kitchen.
02:07 Yes, in a kitchen in Antimano, one
02:10 of the many points of Caracas where this commune voting is
02:14 taking place and also the decision by the peoples
02:17 regarding their projects and their social projects
02:19 also today, April 21st.
02:21 So with me, I have one of the international observers
02:25 that is a company in this process.
02:27 And now I'm going to ask you, first of all, your full name
02:30 and where do you came from and which is your organization.
02:36 My name is Leonid Saven.
02:37 I am from Moscow Russian Federation.
02:40 I am director of the foundation of Fidel Castro
02:43 and also chief editor of EU Media.
02:46 And this is my short visit to Venezuela.
02:49 For this time, I am like observer
02:51 and to see this process of consultation with people
02:56 and what to do in social and economic issues.
02:59 And it's very interesting to see by our own eyes
03:03 how it organized, how process is going on,
03:07 and how local governance and to deal with local people
03:14 on grassroots level and how it's then going on national level.
03:19 It's all details.
03:21 It's very interesting.
03:23 This must be an interesting experience for you
03:25 because Russia, you know, back in the time was the crib,
03:30 you know, the origin of the popular will
03:32 and these kind of ideas.
03:34 So what is for you to see this crystallizing today,
03:37 came into reality today with this process?
03:40 Yes, I think this experience may be useful in Russia too
03:45 in the future because now political system changed.
03:50 We are going to in our own way
03:54 and to get back more sovereignty than before
03:58 because no Western influence anymore,
04:01 no influence of liberal democracy of United States
04:06 like before.
04:07 So and because also Russia and Venezuela
04:10 are very friendly country,
04:12 we are jointly work for world of multi-polarity
04:17 like our president told, President Nicholas Maduro,
04:20 President Vladimir Putin.
04:21 So I think we can to share experience of Russia
04:24 and Venezuela to each other.
04:27 Actually, this is one of the commune centers
04:31 that gives care and attention for many, many people,
04:35 hundreds of people.
04:37 And you have witnessed their organization
04:40 and their structure.
04:41 So what do you take back home from this place,
04:44 from all the places you have witnessed today?
04:48 First of all, I will do some reports,
04:50 some analytical reports that will be published
04:53 in the foremost Russian media.
04:55 And then of course, it will be kind of more deep analysis
04:59 of processes, what's going on from the times of Hugo Chavez
05:03 because Hugo Chavez to start to reorganize
05:08 political social processes in Venezuela
05:10 many years ago.
05:12 And now, Nicholas Maduro more to continue this process
05:17 in Venezuela.
05:18 So I think it will be a very good experience,
05:22 personal experience, and of course,
05:25 for future processes too.
05:27 So thank you for these opinions
05:30 and thank you for having a part in this process today
05:34 here in Venezuela and also for your time
05:36 for Tell Us Your English and our audience.
05:39 You're welcome also, thank you for opportunity
05:41 to speak with people and with you.
05:44 Thank you.
05:45 So yeah, we will continue reporting
05:47 from all the points in Caracas where the communes are,
05:50 which is to say all Venezuela.
05:52 And we will give you all the stories
05:54 regarding this process of popular consultation today,
05:57 April 21st.
05:58 So back to you.
05:59 In Ecuador, the popular consultation and referendum
06:03 called by President Daniel Nobua's government
06:05 began amidst a state of emergency
06:07 due to the insecurity crisis
06:09 that the country is experiencing.
06:11 This Sunday, Ecuadorians go to the polls
06:13 to answer the 11 questions proposed
06:15 by the national government related to the fight
06:18 against criminal gangs and to encourage investments
06:21 to the country.
06:22 During the inauguration ceremony,
06:24 President Daniel Nobua called the Ecuadorian people
06:26 to exercise their right to vote to fight violence.
06:30 Ecuador's National Electoral Council
06:32 set up 4,322 voting centers for this election day.
06:37 (silence)
06:39 In the midst of its worst energy crisis,
06:45 a marked economic recession
06:47 and the highest homicide rate in Latin America,
06:50 Ecuador goes to the polls this Sunday, April 21st.
06:53 President Daniel Nobua promotes a referendum that,
06:56 according to his promises,
06:58 will allow the construction of a new country.
07:00 Today, criminal organizations and corruption
07:05 are trying to put obstacles in our way.
07:07 But we are going to get out of this with strength
07:12 and with our best weapon,
07:13 which is our vote.
07:17 We are going to promote the referendum this Sunday.
07:20 There are 11 questions, most of them related to security,
07:26 such as the role of the armed forces
07:28 in the fight against organized crime
07:30 and the increase of penalties for serious crimes.
07:33 (speaking in foreign language)
07:36 Traditionally, consultations have been used
07:39 to validate presidential positions,
07:41 but many of them are anchor questions.
07:43 What are the anchor questions?
07:45 Something that no one could say no to and then,
07:48 taking hold of that anchor question,
07:50 making a campaign to vote in favor
07:52 of the other presidential intentions or pretensions.
07:55 Although it worked for Lenín Moreno
07:57 with the seven times yes at the time,
08:00 for Guillermo Lasso,
08:02 when he proposed his popular consultation,
08:04 he did it in a way that generated
08:06 complete rejection from the population.
08:08 Some consider that the electoral process
08:14 has been used by the president
08:15 to legitimize the role of the US Southern Command
08:18 in the alleged fight against organized crime,
08:21 the presence of the military on the streets,
08:23 and to justify the abuses of the armed forces,
08:26 as denounced by human rights organizations.
08:29 (speaking in foreign language)
08:32 We are not talking about assistance.
08:34 We are talking about forms of government,
08:36 about control of prisons or the streets.
08:40 We have painfully seen summary executions in the country.
08:43 We have seen a young man who goes out to sell a puppy
08:45 and is executed without any process.
08:48 Moreover, unions denounce
08:52 that behind the security questions,
08:54 there are other core questions
08:56 that jeopardize workers' rights.
08:58 Vacation, subsidies, and overtime rights are eliminated.
09:01 Workers under this type of contract
09:06 will have to be available 100% of the time,
09:09 hoping that there will be a contract
09:13 for two, three, four hours of work.
09:15 Another question that does not convince progressive groups
09:21 is that of international arbitration for investments.
09:24 (speaking in foreign language)
09:28 Article 422 that they want to amend
09:32 in this referendum prohibits the Ecuadorian state
09:35 from submitting to international arbitration
09:37 and yielding sovereignty.
09:39 In the annex to question D,
09:41 the article is completely changed,
09:43 and the state is completely exposed
09:45 to international arbitrations.
09:48 Gentlemen, out of every 10 arbitrations,
09:51 the state loses seven, the other three never wins.
09:54 It only reaches judicial or extrajudicial agreements
09:57 before the respective award,
09:59 and all of them it has to pay.
10:01 13.6 million Ecuadorians are called to the polls
10:06 to express their support or rejection
10:08 to this electoral initiative
10:09 proposed by a president whose approval,
10:11 according to several polls, in March reached almost 80%.
10:15 But who has now faced a strong rejection
10:18 after decisions such as those of assaulting
10:20 the Mexican embassy in Quito
10:22 and the blackouts of more than eight hours a day?
10:24 The truth is that Nobuo is risking
10:26 a great part of his political capital this Sunday.
10:29 Elena Rodriguez, Telesur, Ecuador.
10:31 Let's take a short break,
10:34 but remember you can join us on TikTok @telesureenglish
10:37 where you will find news in different formats,
10:38 news updates and more.
10:40 All the stories coming up, stay with us.
10:42 (upbeat music)
10:45 Welcome back.
11:07 In Palestine, the West Bank dawns paralyzed
11:09 by a general strike to denounce the massacre
11:12 perpetrated by Israeli forces in the Nurshams refugee camp
11:15 where 14 people were killed.
11:17 The official Wafa news agency reported
11:20 the closure of schools, universities, banks and stores
11:23 in cities and towns of the West Bank
11:28 following the calls of the Palestinian forces and movements.
11:32 Both the teachers union and the transport union
11:35 announced a total strike in support of the inhabitants
11:38 of the Gaza Strip and the Nurshams camp.
11:41 The call for a general strike was made
11:43 by the Palestinian National Liberation Movement, FATAH,
11:46 and was supported by several factions
11:48 including the Hamas movement.
11:49 Thousands of people marched in several European cities
11:57 to denounce the Israeli regime's genocide in the Gaza Strip
12:00 and express their support for Palestine.
12:03 As the 197th day of Israel's war in Gaza,
12:07 which has left more than 34,000 dead
12:10 in the Palestinian enclave passes,
12:12 demonstrators in Berlin, Dublin and Geneva
12:15 demanded an immediate and permanent ceasefire
12:18 and call on their governments
12:19 to stop sending arms to the Zionist regime.
12:22 In Spain, about 3,500 people gathered
12:25 in the center of Barcelona
12:27 to show their solidarity with Palestine
12:30 and demand an end to the Israeli attacks on Gaza,
12:32 as well as the pro-Palestinian associations
12:35 Comunidad Palestina de Cataluña
12:37 and Coalición Pro Complicidad Israel
12:40 called the march, which many joined
12:42 wearing Palestinian scarves around their necks,
12:45 calling on the Spanish government of Pedro Sánchez
12:48 to break off relations with Israel.
12:50 In Morocco, hundreds of activists
12:57 protested in front of the US Consulate General in Casablanca
13:00 to express their solidarity with the Palestinian people.
13:03 Participants raised the Palestinian flags and bans,
13:07 denouncing the crimes committed by the Israeli occupation.
13:10 Protesters urged the international community
13:12 for pressing the occupation forces
13:14 to reach a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip
13:17 and opening the border crossing for humanitarian aid.
13:20 In turn, activists called on the Moroccan kingdom
13:23 to break off relations with Israel.
13:25 We think this genocide is a direct aftermath
13:35 of the assistance the US government has been providing
13:38 for years to the Zionist entity.
13:40 Here, we are witnessing a crystal clear complicity
13:43 in what the White House supplies in terms of logistics, funding,
13:47 vetoes, military, and espionage to the Zionist entity.
13:50 Also in Marseille, France, thousands of people
13:57 went out in the streets to express their support
13:59 to the Palestinian people in the face of the crimes executed
14:02 by Israel since October 7.
14:05 With Palestinian flags and banners,
14:07 the French citizens demanded a permanent ceasefire
14:09 in the Gaza Strip, where more than 34,000 people have died,
14:13 mostly women and children.
14:15 France is one of the many countries
14:17 that have expressed their rejection of the Tel Aviv
14:19 terrorist acts against Palestine.
14:21 Meanwhile, in Germany, citizens took to the streets of Berlin
14:30 to reject the supply of arms to Israel.
14:33 The demonstrators called to stop arming Tel Aviv
14:35 to defend the future of Palestinian children
14:38 and youth.
14:38 Despite the peaceful nature of the mobilization,
14:41 the media denounced that the German security forces carried
14:44 out actions to repress and arrest the demonstrators.
14:47 In the United States, pro-Palestinian activists
14:55 rallied outside the capital in Washington, DC,
14:58 to demand that the lawmakers not send additional funds
15:01 to Israel.
15:02 Waving Palestinian flags, they demanded
15:04 that the government stops its complicity with the genocide
15:07 perpetrated in the Gaza Strip.
15:09 In these contexts, it is worth noting
15:11 that more than 40 Democrat representatives
15:14 voted against the delivery of $26 billion to Israel.
15:18 They stated that their votes were
15:20 against the supply of offensive weapons
15:22 that could result in more killings of civilians
15:24 in Rafa and elsewhere.
15:26 [END PLAYBACK]
15:29 Very, very hard.
15:32 Again, we've been coming here every day for three months
15:35 now, trying to lobby against it, fight against it.
15:39 And we managed to delay it for a long time.
15:41 But today, they're going to be voting on it
15:44 to send more weapons to Israel, which is currently committing
15:47 a genocide in Gaza.
15:50 We have a final short break coming up.
15:52 But before we invite you to join our WhatsApp community
15:55 for our English-speaking audience,
15:56 you can scan the QR code on screen to join directly
15:59 and share the link to reach more people.
16:01 Constant news coverage of Latin America, the Caribbean,
16:03 as well as the rest of the world.
16:05 Stay connected and informed with Telesur.
16:07 Final short break.
16:08 Don't go away.
16:08 [MUSIC PLAYING]
16:11 Welcome back to "From the South."
16:20 Russia's air defense systems intercepted 50 Ukrainian drones
16:24 flying over several regions, including Moscow.
16:27 The Russian Defense Ministry reported
16:29 having neutralized a series of attempts by CAIF
16:32 to carry out terrorist attacks using unmanned aerial vehicles
16:36 to attack facilities on Russian Federation territory.
16:39 The military agency detailed that most of the grounded
16:42 drones by the air defense were reported
16:44 in the provinces of Belgorod, Biryansk, Kursk, and Moscow.
16:48 The Russian regions bordered in Ukraine
16:50 regularly report the impact of projectiles, drone raids,
16:54 and other attacks by Ukrainian forces
16:56 attempting to attack civilians.
16:57 The Russian Foreign Ministry warned
17:04 that US approval of the multibillion-dollar aid
17:06 to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan will only increase tensions
17:10 in the conflict.
17:11 Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova
17:14 pointed out that military aid to CAIF
17:16 amounts to direct sponsorship of terrorism and funding
17:20 for Taiwan means interference in China's internal affairs.
17:24 Zakharova added that US military aid to Israel
17:27 lays the groundwork for escalating aggression
17:30 in the Middle East.
17:31 [VIDEO PLAYBACK]
17:51 - Authorities in some southern Chinese provinces
17:54 have taken emergency measures in response
17:56 to the heavy rains that have hit the region since Friday.
17:59 Heavy rainfall on Friday and Saturday
18:02 stranded many residents at home and disrupted trains and traffic
18:06 in Guangdong and Jiangxi provinces.
18:09 On Saturday morning, some trains on the Beijing-Wangshu route
18:12 through the cities of Shaoguan and Jingde were canceled
18:16 or diverted.
18:18 In Shaoguan City, the storm caused
18:20 floods and disruptions on several national and provincial
18:23 roads.
18:28 In Japan, according to reports from the Defense Ministry,
18:31 an accident involving two army helicopters
18:34 left one dead and seven missing.
18:36 The two helicopters were on maneuvers over the Pacific
18:39 when they lost contact with the command center between 10 PM
18:43 local time and 11 PM on Saturday local time.
18:47 The Japanese Self-Defense Forces launched a search
18:50 for the aircraft shortly after they were reported missing,
18:53 only to find the wreckage and the body of one
18:56 of the crew members east of the Isu Islands, south of Tokyo.
19:00 Japan's Defense Ministry ruled out
19:02 the involvement of any foreign military entity
19:05 in the incident while declaring that a rescue operation is
19:08 on their way to locate the seven remaining missing.
19:10 In a thrilling match played at the Alexis Arguello Sports
19:18 Center in Manawanikarawa, the Panama national futsal team
19:22 made history by winning the Concacaf futsal
19:25 championship for the first time in its history.
19:27 In a match full of intensity and emotion,
19:30 Panama prevailed over Cuba with a final score of 3-4.
19:34 From the opening whistle, both teams
19:36 showed solid and determined play,
19:39 seeking to take advantage of every opportunity
19:41 to make a difference on the scoreboard.
19:44 The goals were scored by Román Milord, Aquiles Campos,
19:47 and Claudio Gudrej on two occasions.
19:50 Despite Cuba's efforts to come from behind,
19:53 Panama's solid defense and tactical play
19:55 proved difficult to overcome.
19:58 With this historic victory, Panama
20:00 became the new champion of the Concacaf futsal championship.
20:03 Both Cuba and the champions secured their place
20:06 at the Uzbekistan 2024 Futsal World Cup
20:10 after qualifying for the semifinals.
20:12 In northern France, tourists and locals
20:18 have gathered on the beach at Bergue
20:20 for the 37th edition of the International Kite Festival.
20:24 China will be the guest country of honor of this edition
20:27 from April 20 to 28, being thus the first time the festival has
20:32 introduced the concept of guest countries
20:34 since its creation in 1987.
20:37 Welcoming around 700,000 kite enthusiasts and spectators
20:41 from all over the world, this year's festival
20:44 showcases some of the world's most incredible kites.
20:47 With more than 40 countries taking part in this kite
20:49 flying extravaganza, the festival
20:52 is a truly international gathering representing
20:54 all five continents.
20:56 During the event, the China Cultural Center in Paris
20:59 will join hands with Weifang City in Shandong Province
21:03 to showcase the most authentic Chinese kite
21:05 art and cultural experience to the audience.
21:08 Various cultural activities will take center stage,
21:11 including kite competitions, cultural performance,
21:14 and workshops of intangible cultural heritage.
21:17 [VIDEO PLAYBACK]
21:23 - Three problems in general.
21:25 When there's no wind, when there's too much wind,
21:27 and when the wind is good, there's
21:29 never enough room in the sky.
21:31 That's it.
21:32 And I go out into the fields because today the wind
21:34 is strong, but it's good.
21:35 And I go out into the fields to tell them, guys,
21:37 there's still room.
21:38 You've got to go.
21:39 You've got to put out kites.
21:41 Because the more color there is, the better I feel.
21:43 And then I'm like a big kid.
21:46 [END PLAYBACK]
21:48 - I feel like it's kind of a dreamland, or like Disneyland,
21:52 this kind of feeling.
21:53 And all these creatures, they are out of your imagination.
21:59 And they all look very natural, but also very imaginative.
22:06 It's really cool.
22:07 It feels like it's something that appears in my dreams.
22:11 [END PLAYBACK]
22:12 - We have come to the end of this news brief,
22:14 but you can find this and many other stories
22:16 on our website at telesudioenglish.net.
22:18 And join us on social media--
22:20 Facebook, X, Instagram, Teleram, and TikTok as well.
22:23 For Telesudio English, I'm Alejandra Garcia.
22:25 Thank you for watching.