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Murder Mastermind Charles Manson Dead At 83; Mugabe Refuses To Step Down Despite Pressure To Resign; Russia Probe "Gotcha Games"; Source: Mugabe Agrees To Terms Of Resignation; CNN Freedom Project: Child Trafficking Widespread At Haiti Orphanages; Queen Elizabeth And Prince Philip Mark 70 Years Of Marriage. Aired 1-2a ET
Aired November 20, 2017 - 01:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[01:00:00] ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.
CYRIL VANIER, CNN ANCHOR: Breaking news, Charles Manson, the mastermind behind one of the most infamous murder sprees in U.S. history has died at the age 83. The California Department of corrections says, he died of natural causes on Sunday. Manson was serving nine consecutive life sentences for murder and conspiracy to commit murder for ordering a wave of killings in 1969. Manson was not present when his followers, calls the Manson family, went on his crime spree but he did master mind the killings. We'll bring you more on this breaking news as and when we get it here on CNN.
Now, let's turn to our other top story this hour in Zimbabwe, Robert Mugabe's time as president appears to be winding down. He faces impeachment from his own party, if he doesn't resign in the coming hours. He's already been sacked as party leader and replaced by the former Vice President, Emmerson Mnangagwa, the man that he sacked just a few weeks ago. Mr. Mugabe's been under pressure to step down since Wednesday apparent military coup. He's been under house arrest, but he seems to think that he can stay in power. He gave a rambling televised speech on Sunday, this is what it looked like, in which he said he would preside over the party Congress next month.
CNN's David McKenzie joins me now from Zimbabwe's capital, Harare. David, Sunday's events were bizarre, just help us get our head around them. Tell us about the anticipation in Zimbabwe ahead of the speech and the reaction after it.
DAVID MCKENZIE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, they were rapid-moving developments over the weekend. You had this massive march on Saturday with everyone getting together to call for Robert Mugabe, the 93-year-old leader, to step down. And then, this widely anticipated speech on Sunday -- word got out here in Zimbabwe.
I think most of the nation, if not all of it, was gathered around television sets and trying to get the news as the national state broadcasters, ZBC, announced a live address from President Mugabe. The assumption by many was that in that address, he would announce his resignation, because the party that he has presided over for nearly three decades -- more than three decades, had, in fact, thrown him out this party ahead and giving him this deadline; a ticking clock towards the next few hours where if he didn't resign he would, in fact, be impeached. And then the president got up, sitting down, flanked by his generals --
VANIER: All right. We're going to try and reestablish connection David McKenzie there. He was reporting live from Harare. I understand we have him back. David, can you hear me?
MCKENZIE: Yes, I can hear you. So, the speech seemed like if anything was meant to give a constitutional veneer to this apparent coup; there was no massive headline there. And I think the entire country maybe groined a bit because they were expecting this big momentous occasion, and then it didn't happen. So, the question is: did Robert Mugabe have his final twist in this tale to remain in power? Or was this just another step in this process that has been a very strange week here in Zimbabwe with everyone, I think, in this country, waiting to see what the president does next and he'll appease for the exit the scene. Cyril?
VANIER: David, is it now a foregone conclusion that Robert Mugabe is going to be impeached?
MCKENZIE: I don't think it's a foregone conclusion. He still has a few hours for that deadline to pass. And also, the bigger question may be, well, how exactly does he go? If he decides to really dig in, a few days ago, one source said the military would do it the hard way.
You know, it's easy to remember given that this has been kind of a strange coup as it were that the military is on the streets -- the APCs, the Armored Personnel Carriers are on a lot of corners here in downtown Harare. They're calling the shots; the police are nowhere to be seen.
This is not a normal situation. You know, after a few days, maybe people think, oh, well, this is just some kind discussion. You have a president who's presided nearly four decades --
VANIER: All right. David who is reporting live there from Harare. We'll get him back later on throughout the hour. Now, the man who replaced Mr. Mugabe as party leader was once his tough ally. Emmerson Mnangagwa was reportedly behind the Wednesday's military takeover, and now appears is set to be the country's next president. CNN's Natalie Allen has more on the man who could lead Zimbabwe.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NATALIE ALLEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It's the end of an era in Zimbabwe. The country's ruling party sacked its long-time president and replaces him what used to be his right-hand man -- his name, Emmerson Mnangagwa, AKA The Crocodile, a nickname he earned for his tough political game. The 75-year-old politician has been, for years, felt to be biding his time ready to take over for the world's oldest leader. He has a strong following among the country's elite and with the key strategist for Mugabe in past elections.
[01:05:20] But earlier this month, Mugabe accused his closest aide of disloyalty, a move some considered to be a plan for his wife, Grace, to succeed his presidency. Instead, it set the stage for a historical political shakeup. The military stepped in, placing Mugabe under house arrest. The ruling ZANU-PF Party demanded his resignation, calling for Mnangagwa to take over.
But some say the man poised to take Zimbabwe into its new future is a shrewd reminder of its past. Mnangagwa had been part of Zimbabwe's authoritarian regime for almost three decades. He's implicated in the massacre of thousands Zimbabwe's of civilians in the '80s, was described in late-2000 by a U.S. diplomat stationed in Harare as a "wildly feared and potentially ever more repressive leader than Mugabe." Now, with the military in control, the former vice president is well placed to claim Zimbabwe's top job.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VANIER: Let's stay in Zimbabwe and get more on this. We're joined now by Zenzele Ndebele, he's a Zimbabwean Journalist and Activist, joins us from Bulawayo, the country's second-largest city. Help me understand, how is it possible that Mr. Mugabe is still in power when he has the army against him, and, apparently, doesn't have any more cards up his sleeve?
ZENZELE NDEBELE, ZIMBABWEAN JOURNALIST AND ACTIVIST (via Skype): Robert Mugabe is not being pulled (INAUDIBLE). And I think -- we need to realize that we are dealing with someone who is stubborn, who is -- over the years, managed to stay in power, even if when he lost the election in 2008; he found a way of getting back into power. So, on my own analysis is that Robert Mugabe says, you know what, I'll do it until the last minute -- and he'll try to use every trick in the book to stay in power.
He knows he has been fired off the party, but he has not been fired from the government, and it might take up three weeks to actually be fired from the government if they use the process of impeaching him. So, he's fighting for all things to stay in power, hoping that may be a miracle might happen to save him. Don't let a miracle happen, Mr. Mnanagwa. In the move to (INAUDIBLE) President who was fired (INAUDIBLE).
VANIER: But at this stage, is there a way for Mr. Mugabe to stay in power or is it a matter of time before he is up?
NDEBELE: I don't see how he's going to stay in power because he no longer has a party. That means that -- he can't lead without the party. He needs the party to actually push his proposals. (INAUDIBLE) the government. All that he's going to (INAUDIBLE) is he's going to impeach by parliament. ZANU-PF says the numbers -- they might not have (INAUDIBLE) following beside him, or most of the NPs, but they have the numbers. So, all they estimated one point. Mugabe will be out of power whether he likes it or not.
VANIER: But it was interesting to watch his speech on Sunday. Clearly, he is intent on denying the military the opportunity to say that he accepted his resignation. He wants to show this for what it is, which is a coup d'etat.
NDEBELE: You know it was very interesting because it says these things more all over here: nothing (INAUDIBLE), but they suspected me, you know, I was much, you know, harassed to go that (INAUDIBLE). Then they start talking about government programs, you know, it start talking about -- we have a way of introducing the entrepreneurial program.
This country was born out of a struggle. And when everyone accepted him to say I resign (INAUDIBLE) Congress and the party and they'll preside (INAUDIBLE) preside the Congress when he'll be back. So, this is when people start to realize, no, something has gone wrong here. This man is just -- no change of his lead. And I really don't understand how it happened, but he does show everyone, and I'm sure even the generals themselves were surprised.
VANIER: All right. We're going to be following the developments in this story, of course. Zenzele Ndebele joining us from Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. Thank you, we appreciate your time.
Now, the families and friends of 44 Argentine Navy members are anxiously waiting for new clues. The crew's missing submarine was scheduled to arrive at this port on Sunday -- it never showed up. Relatives have left messages, some of which read: come on marines, we are waiting for you. It's unclear if signals detected recently came from the crew. Their sub disappeared Wednesday off Argentina's seven Atlantic coast.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CAPT. GABRIEL GALEAZZI, ARGENTINA NAVY (through translator): I want you to know that we have tripled the search effort -- both on the surface and underwater with ten airplanes, we have 11 ships from the Argentine Navy, from municipalities and from countries that have collaborated with research ships such as Uruguay, Chile, Brazil, Peru, the United States and England. These ships are following the submarine's planned route, and are sweeping the whole area, and we also have Navy ships sweeping from the north to south and from the south to north.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[01:10:11] VANIER: And let's find out what we can about the circumstances in which this search and rescue effort is unfolding. CNN Meteorologist, Pedram Javaheri, is joining us. You've been looking, Pedram, at the weather conditions in the search area. PEDRAM JAVAHERI, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes. You know what, this is not
an area where you want to be looking for anything, because the weather -- typically, this far south across the southern hemisphere, it gets very, very difficult and challenging at times, especially as you transition from one season to another -- going from spring down across this region into summer. And look at the perspective, the area, of course, the area of concern going down towards the southern hemisphere, near Cape Horn, this is where the initial area -- was the vessel took off from, headed well to the north.
And we know the Gulf San Jorge is the last point of communication, and then beyond that Maya Mel del Plata there, across an area where they were slated for. But as you broaden the perspective in this region, this is a region that sailors often called the Roaring 40s, the screaming 50s, and the Furious 60. You get down toward this southern hemisphere, and that is because these latitudes winds year-round are tremendous -- 70 to 100 kilometers per hour.
Unfortunately, that's been precisely the case from the past couple of days across this region and it's to continue as well. And you take a look, the forecast going in from Tuesday to Wednesday sees a brief period of winds calming down just a little bit. And the reason that's significant is because, of course, the visual cues they're looking for at the surface for anything to be found is almost nonexistent.
We have waves as much eight meters high, and winds as much 70 kilometers per hour, expected to improve again briefly by mid-week, and then go back downhill again Thursday and Friday. And we know with the Navy's policy there is if a submarine loses communication, they're to come to the surface immediately. So, that is what officials are hoping for is there's something at the surface to be seen. Unfortunately, the weather and the sort of wave heights -- there is the location, we believe, the last point of communication was.
And you notice the yellow contours indicate nine-meter wave heights, essentially two stories high. And that returns, significantly, you're going Thursday and to Friday. So, that's a major concern with one storm after another pushing through this region. And then when you go down beneath the surface to see exactly how far down can you go across the Patagonia Shelf, as it's known across this region, about 2200 meters deeps or 7,000 feet deep is how far this region goes.
That is essentially a three, three-and-a-half Burj Khalifah's stacked on top of one other, Cyril -- it's how far down to this. So, certainly, a challenging location -- anywhere, really, when you're talking about the oceans. But in this particular location, the surface is not helpful, and depth also challenging as well, Cyril.
VANIER: All right. Pedram, you're going to keep tracking this for us. We hope for the best for the submarine, of course, and for the 44 crew members aboard the submarine.
Now, U.S. senators say Jared Kushner hasn't given them key documents, but the White House advisor's attorney accuses the lawmakers of playing games. We'll see why when we come back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[01:15:21] PATRICK SNELL, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: Hi there, I'm Patrick Snell with your CNN WORLD SPORTS headlines. Kicking off in Italy today where football fans are going to have to just may do with club game for a while now. The country's still reeling from Italy's failure to qualify for next year's World Cup in Russia, and for the legendary goalie, Gigi Buffon, it was particularly heart-breaking. He was actually left out on the event of sports return to action on the bench for that one on Sunday to help recover from the lost (INAUDIBLE), but the scoreline went and helped this cause, Sam Doria, pulling off a shock 3-2 victory over the six-time reigning Serie A champions.
In tennis, Grigor Dimitrov, facing David Goffin for the season-ending title in London. The Belgian Goffin had beaten both Nadal and Federer at this event, but couldn't get past the Bulgarian Dimitrov who took his first ATP World Tour Finals title on his tournament debut no less. In three sets, Dimitrov will rise to a career-high world number three now.
And English Golfer, Tommy Fleetwood, has won the European tour's season-ending race to Dubai, edging fellow Brit, Justin Rose, on the very last day of the DP World Championship in Dubai. Rose was seeking a third straight tournament victory but fell apart on the back nine leaving himself with a long Eagle path of the last to overtake Fleetwood in the standings. It misses, so it's Fleetwood who finishes with a 74 -- and that will earn the year for him as Europe's top rank golfer. That's a look at your Sports headlines. I'm Patrick Snell.
VANIER: I want to update our breaking news right now. Charles Manson, one of the most notorious murder masterminds in U.S. history has died at the age of 83. The California Department of Corrections says he died of natural causes on Sunday. Manson was serving nine consecutive life sentences for murder and conspiracy to commit murder for ordering a wave of killings back in 1969.
Several of his followers, known as the Manson Family, was also convicted of carrying out their murder spree. During his time in prison, Charles Manson was denied parole 12 times. His next parole hearing wouldn't have come until 2027. Stephanie Elam looks back at Manson's life and the lives he affected.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One, two three, what are we fighting for?
STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: California, 1967, the summer of love at its peak. Charles Manson arrived on the scene with folk music and a flock of young followers but with much darker ambitions.
VINCENT BUGLIOSI, MANSON TRIAL PROSECUTOR: Manson may be the most famous notorious mass murder ever.
ELAM: The summer of 69 was marked by gruesome murders that shook the nation. Five people killed at the home of Hollywood star Sharon Tate, and another couple murdered the following night.
BUGLIOSI: These murders used to be called "The Tate Murders", and then some people call them "The Tate Labianca Murders". Then, Manson appears on the scene and he's so charismatic and interesting that he upstages the victims, and from that point on it was called the "Manson Murders".
ELAM: Manson was the mastermind behind the brutal killings; the leader of the clan that carried out the unthinkable. He was convicted of conspiracy and murder in 1971 and infamously went down in history.
CHARLES MANSON, CRIMINAL AND CULT LEADER: I do a lot of things in the world that you guys don't see.
ELAM: Manson was born in Cincinnati in 1934 to a single teenage mother.
MANSON: She got out of my life early. I spent the best part of my life in boy schools, prisons, and reform schools because I had nobody.
ELAM: After marrying twice and spending half his life in prison, 32- year-old Manson made his way to Berkeley in 1967. He established himself as a guru in the summer of love and was quickly sharing his home with 18 women.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You get these kids, these children coming into Haight-Ashbury, and here is Charlie Manson saying how much he loves them and he wants to take care of them. He took full advantage.
ELAM: As the Manson Family formed and migrated south, its leader established himself on the fringe of the L.A. music scene. He recorded albums with the family, like aptly name, "Lie: The Love and Terror Cult."
MANSON: Look at the young game girl.
ELAM: Manson's passion for music translated into an obsession with The Beetles' 1968 song, Helter Skelter.
BUGLIOSI: So, Manson had meant that The Beetles wanted to have, to have a worldwide revolution -- Blacks against Whites.
ELAM: Aiming to launch the fabricated war, Manson directed his dissolution clan to kill on August 9th, 1969, four Manson followers invaded the Hollywood Hills home of actress Sharon Tate, where they massacred five people. The 26-year-old starlet was eight-and-a-half months pregnant. The next night, the clan brutally murder Los Angeles couple Lino and Rosemary Labianca. At both homes, they left behind shocking murder scenes.
[01:20:14] BUGLIOSI: When those words, "Helter Skelter," were found printed in blood at the murder scene, that was tantamount to Manson's fingerprints being found at the murder scene.
ELAM: After evidence in the cases mounted and high-profile trial, Manson and four followers were convicted of nine murders and sentenced to death in 1971, which was downgraded to life in prison when California banned the death penalty. The notorious killer appealed for parole 12 times.
MANSON: If I'm not paroled, OK? And I don't get a chance to get back on top of the street, you're going to win. Helter Skelter.
ELAM: While the convicted killer became somewhat of a pop culture icon, the family members of his victims never forgot his true impact.
DEBRA TATE, SHARON TATE'S SISTER: He needs to look into our eyes, victim's eyes and see the pain that he's caused.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VANIER: Turning to the Russia investigation now. Jared Kushner's attorney says his client is the hero in this probe. Lawmakers investigating alleged collusion between the Trump Campaign and Russia, they say the White House Advisor, who is also President Trump's son- in-law, failed to turn over key documents about WikiLeaks as well as a Russian backdoor overture and dinner invite. Kushner's attorney says that's not the case.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ABBE LOWELL, ATTORNEY TO JARED KUSHNER: The committee investigations, unfortunately, are developing into political gotcha games. If committees selective leaked parts of interviews or send me letters through the media, or turn Jared Kushner's very clear e-mail that there should be no contacts with anybody in a foreign country into what they as call a missing document, then they're undermining their own credibility. The issue of Russia interference in the 2016 election is a serious one, but these committee actions are not.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VANIER: Michael Zeldin joins us now, a CNN Legal Analyst, a former Federal Prosecutor, and particularly relevant to us today as well, former Special Assistant to Robert Mueller at the Justice Department.
Michael, I'd like to get your lawyer's perspective on what we found out this week about Jared Kushner, the president's son and Senior -- son-in-law and Senior Advisor. We learned this week that he'd received and forwarded an e-mail about Donald Trump Jr.'s messages with WikiLeaks, yet in July he told Congress that he didn't recall anyone in the Trump campaign who'd ever been in touch with WikiLeaks. Is he in trouble?
MICHAEL ZELDIN, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Well, probably not in legal trouble; more likely in political trouble. The question asked is: did you? And he says, I did not. Did anyone else? I don't remember. So, in terms of legal action, probably none can be taken. In terms of political action, it may appear to members of the committee that he's being cute and deceptive, and that's why they're going to call him back and say no more cute, no more deceptive, here are our questions, we want your answers.
VANIER: So, his lawyer said that there's no contradiction here because he was asked what the lawyer called a classic gotcha question in Congress, and he answered it truthfully then and nothing has changed. Nothing we found out this week changes the fact that his answer was truthful. It sounds like that that's a good lawyer's defense, I understand what you're saying.
ZELDIN: Yes. So, if you're a lawyer and you are preparing a witness to be examined, you will say to the witness answer only the questions they've asked you and don't embellish. They want more from you, let them ask you a follow-up question. And that's what, I think, Abbe Lowell, who's a very good lawyer, is telling Jared Kushner, who apparently is a good listener, unlike some of the other in the investigation that who don't seem have to listen quite as well.
VANIER: So, there are going to have been follow-up questions then.
ZELDIN: Yes. That's why I say to you in political terms he's invited himself by virtue of those answers for a return appearance, and maybe a return appearance under oath, may be returned appearance in a live session. That's what he got. But Abbe Lowell as his lawyer can't really keep all eyes focused on Congress. He's got to keep at least one eye focused on Robert Mueller. Because Robert Mueller is the one who can impact the liberty of his client, and that's what he's there to protect, not his politics, you know, sort of, creds.
VANIER: But does it work to simply say I don't remember when you received an e-mail and you forwarded that e-mail? So, there's evidence you took action with that information.
ZELDIN: Right. And so, the question is going to be, is that answer credible? If that was one e-mail in a period of time where he was receiving 200 e-mails a day and it didn't register with him, then it's believable. If this was one e-mail that was a profound consequence to the campaign because what do we know happened after the WikiLeaks communications with Don Jr. that that was forwarded to Kushner, the president responded to it, and then Don Jr., two days later, sent out a link saying if you want to search the WikiLeaks information that we've just received, here's how to do it.
So, it's going to be a question for Mueller and also for Congress: is it credible when you say I don't recall? And that's a value of judgment that these guys are going to have to make. And if they feel that he's being disingenuous about it, they can put him under oath, and if Mueller feels that he was lying about, he'll ask him again in a grand jury. And if he lies there, that'll be a five-year felony.
[01:25:45] VANIER: All right. He's probably going to have to answer more questions. Now, looking --
ZELDIN: No questions.
VANIER: Robert Mueller's team is preparing to interview Hope Hicks. Now she's been part of Mr. Trump's inner circle for years -- first at Trump Tower, then during the campaign, now at the White House often by his side. What do you expect out of that? What kind of questions are they going to want to ask her?
ZELDIN: So, Hope Hicks has been front and center to a lot of things that are under investigation by Mueller. Remember, Mueller is looking at obstruction of justice and she was present on Air Force One when the statement that was being crafted by Don Jr. in response to the revelation that he had a June 9th meeting with the Russians that he first denied. And then, admitted that the president was actually actively helping craft that statement.
The president said he didn't, then they realized that he did, she's there as a witness to that. So, she's there when Flynn is getting fired. She's there when the president is communicating with Comey. She's there when decisions are being made about the emolument stuff, whether or not the president should divest himself of properties that are now being used by foreign dignitaries to earn him money. She's there too for all of those things. And so, while just a witness, she's a really important witness to shed light on the thinking of and communication between an all these key White House and campaign officials. VANIER: Could provide a lot of backgrounds. Michael Zeldin, thank
you for your analysis today.
ZELDIN: My pleasure.
[01:27:17] VANIER: When we come back, political whiplash. President Trump is set to give what is believed to be his final word on whether U.S. will allow hunters to import trophies from animals like these. We'll make sense of the firestorm after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CYRIL VANIER, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: A reminder of our breaking news here on CNN, one of the most notorious murder masterminds in U.S. history, Charles Manson has died. He was 83 years old. The California Department of Corrections said he died of natural causes on Sunday. Manson was serving nine consecutive life sentences for murder and conspiracy to commit murder for ordering a wave of killings in 1969.
We'll continue to bring you more in this as we get the information and we'll follow this throughout the hour and throughout the morning here on CNN. Now to our other breaking news this hour, we are now being told that President Robert Mugabe in Zimbabwe has now agreed to terms of his resignation, just days after an apparent military coup. For the latest let's turn to CNN's David McKenzie joining us now from the capital Harare. What are we learning right now, David?
DAVID MCKENZIE, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: What we're learning, Cyril, is that that bizarre address now appears to at least make a bit more sense. A source with a very close knowledge of the negotiations ongoing between Robert Mugabe and the military leadership that is that the (INAUDIBLE) telling us that, in fact, a resignation letter has been drafted for the president. And that he has agreed to the terms of the resignation, including, in fact, immunity for himself and her -- the first lady, Grace Mugabe, as well as some (INAUDIBLE) in terms of keeping property and potential -- potentially cash that he has certainly amassed over his more than 30 years in power.
Now it makes more sense now in a way because that speech where everyone thought that he would resign coming on state television here on Sunday evening in Zimbabwe, it appears as though that source was to give a constitutional veneer on this apparent coup, because in that statement, several times he basically said that what the military did was right constitutionally without saying it in quite so much clarity. And that gives the generals more of this veneer of a constitutional process.
Where, in fact, this was a coup in most respects on the streets of Zimbabwe. So that source is telling us that the terms have been agreed. The resignation letter has been drafted. And then for it to be all above board it needs to be sent to parliament for that to happen.
But I have to say that there have been so many twists and turns in this story. And until Robert Mugabe officially steps down or is impeached, you know, the story is not over. But that is the latest information I can bring you, Cyril.
VANIER: No, it's absolutely not over, David. I mean, that much is clear. And do we have any sense of any kind of timeline? If we -- if we are to accept the version that we are told by the source, this high-up source here, with knowledge of this transaction with current President Robert Mugabe, do we have any sense of the timeline that would bring him to resign and step down and no longer be president?
MCKENZIE: Well, certainly the generals would be pressuring Robert Mugabe to resign as opposed to being impeached because then they could put the (INAUDIBLE) like we learned from that source, that they would have immunity. Now, that is maybe something that he would not have should he be impeached by parliament. The timeline is really ticking pretty quickly.
In the next few hours, his own party has said if he didn't resign they would impeach him and that be noon local today. So it's just a few hours from now. This also plays into what we've been learning for several days now from an opposition source last week telling us that this apparent coup was, in fact, long in the planning by the Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa who was sacked by Mugabe and really kicked off this entire chain of events.
This doesn't appear to be the military stepping in with some kind of chaotic move to grab forcefully control. At this stage, at least, they've taken very methodical steps to try to make it seem like this is a constitutional process, rather than a grab of power by the barrel of a gun.
[01:35:09] And so this sort of continues that play acting in a way that has been going on in Zimbabwe. But 93-year-old Mugabe has really staved off challenges throughout his tenure. I don't see a way out for him, but certainly, he might try. Cyril.
VANIER: David, I'd like to know more about Emmerson Mnangagwa, but before we get to that, I wanted to ask you, since you've been in the country, have you heard or spoken to anybody, anybody at all in the country who has expressed support for Robert Mugabe at this stage?
MCKENZIE: Not a single person, in fact, on the streets certainly from the military, from the ruling party now and the opposition, to a person both senior and ordinary Zimbabweans just on the street, everyone wants Robert Mugabe out. So I don't think there's much love lost should he exit the stage. There was some feeling from some that I've spoken that he give -- be given a graceful exit or an exit where he can maintain some of his dignity.
Others would say that (INAUDIBLE) is not something he should be afforded. But not a single person I've spoken to, Cyril, has expressed support for Robert Mugabe staying. A lot of people are nervous quietly about what might come next if Emmerson Mnangagwa, the former vice president, becomes the leader.
Some saying, well, this could be more of the same, another strong man in power. But many, including the opposition, say, "Well, give us this day, give us this moment, if Robert Mugabe leaves and then we'll deal with tomorrow." Tomorrow, but it's not tomorrow yet, Cyril. We still have to wait and see whether the story finalizes and if Robert Mugabe leaves willingly or if he's pushed out by his parliament.
But it certainly appears from our source that at least the agreement has been done if he puts pen to paper and it gets publically announced, then we'll know it's signed, sealed, and delivered. Cyril.
VANIER: And I understand the agreement, the protections that Mr. Mugabe has been negotiating for himself would also cover his wife, the first lady, Grace Mugabe.
MCKENZIE: Yes, of all the people in the story perhaps Grace Mugabe's situation has been the most tenuous. The first lady, known as Gucci Grace by many here in Zimbabwe because of her extravagant lifestyle, she and her faction within the ruling party were really angling to become the next power brokers within this country when they, we believe, helped orchestrate pushing out the vice president. All of the people within that cabal of the ruling party are in a very bad situation, and Grace particularly.
So that certainly would, and we know from our sources, it was a key part of that negotiation with the aging president, the safety of Grace Mugabe. She was thrown out of the party and the party suggested that she might get some criminal charges laid against her for hate speech and other alleged crimes. All of the others involved in the so-called G-40, the faction of the party in a -- in a seriously bad way, I doubt that they will get immunity.
But certainly, in this agreement, it appears that Robert Mugabe and Grace Mugabe may have negotiated that.
VANIER: All right. David McKenzie reporting live from the Zimbabwe's capital Harare. We're going to go to break but I just want to remind you, if you're joining us, what we're learning this hour, CNN learning from its sources in Zimbabwe that Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe has now, in principle, agreed to the terms of his resignation. We'll give you more on the other side of this break, stay with us.
[01:40:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
VANIER: As CNN Freedom Project report that found human beings sold at auction in Libya, sparked outrage over the weekend. Shouting no slavery hundreds of people filled the streets outside the Libya industry in Paris. Following our report, Libya's government said that it launched a formal investigation.
CNN's team witnessed migrants looking to start a better life in Europe being sold by their smugglers. Here's a video of one of the auctions.
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NIMA ELBAGIR, SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Seven hundred? Eight hundred. The numbers roll in. These men are sold for 1,200 Libyan pounds, $400 --
(END VIDEOTAPE) VANIER: The Libyan officials say they want to find those who have been sold, bring them to safety and then return them to their countries of origin. CNN's Freedom Project wants to shine a light on modern-day slavery by highlighting success stories and giving voices to the victims. Our latest report focuses on a little-known form of trafficking that is actually widespread in Haiti. Children being sent to orphanages where they suffered terrible abuse. Here's CNN's Michael Holmes with one child story.
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MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: 12-year-old Sondi celebrates every day of his freedom. He's a survivor of a little- known form of human trafficking that is widespread in Haiti, trafficking to orphanages. "When I was in the orphanage the man beat us. My hands were swollen," he says.
"I didn't like it there at all." Sondi's nightmare began in 2010 when his family lost their home in Haiti's devastating earthquake. They were still living in a shelter four years later when his father died. His mother says she was left struggling to provide for Sondi and his two younger brothers.
That's when the so-called child finder offered free food, shelter, and a better life for her children in an orphanage. "I thought it was a good place," she says. "He told me he would put them in school." They were lies.
Sondi and his brothers lived there for two years before it was cited as one of the worst orphanages in the country and shut down by the government agency that oversees Haiti's orphanages. "I thought they were living well," she says, "And yet they were living in horrible the conditions." It is common in Haiti for parents who can't afford to care for their children to place them in institutions.
There are an estimated 30,000 children in orphanages in Haiti, and most of them are not actually orphans.
GEORGETTE MULHEIR, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, LUMOS: More than 90 percent of the children in orphanages in Haiti have at least one living parent.
HOLMES: Georgette Mulheir is executive director of Lumos, a nonprofit that works alongside the Haitian government to investigate abuse in the country's orphanages.
[01:45:08] She says many of them are trafficking in children.
MULHEIR: Entrepreneurial people have seen an opportunity. They have seen that foreign volunteers and donors love to give to orphanages and love to volunteer in orphanages. So they pay people called child finder to go out into the community and essentially put pressure on parents to give them their children.
HOLMES: The government created an anti-trafficking committee in 2015 to fight human trafficking in Haiti. Committee leaders acknowledge trafficking to orphanages is a big part of the problem and they rely on support from nonprofits like Lumos. When Sondi's orphanage was shut down in 2016, Lumos helped reunite the children with their parents. A year later, Mulheir went back to visit the site.
MULHEIR: So the first time that we walked into this place last year, it was one of the worst that I've ever seen. There were 41 children in here and not one adult. They were in (INAUDIBLE) many of them were naked.
HOLMES: Mulheir wanted to make sure it was not back in business. She was surprised to find the owner, Jonathas Vernet, still living on the premises. He invited CNN's crew in and spoke candidly about the closure of his orphanage. He admitted he hit the children with a whip. But he says it was discipline, not abuse.
MULHEIR: This is basically the toilet.
HOLMES: He also agreed the conditions in his orphanage were bad. But he blames American donors who came to visit the children and brought small amount of food and water but didn't offer sustained financial support. He even acknowledged lying to parents but says it was all part of the game.
JONATHAS VERNET, FORMER ORPHANAGE OWNER: I'm not going to give them sweet talking, sweet talking. "OK. Mr. Vernet, my kids going to school?" Yes.
"My kid will -- " yes. They lied to me, too. I lie too. They lied to me. No father?
"No." "I'm not the mother. She -- it is not my kid." They lied to me, I take them.
MULHEIR: I see.
VERNET: They lied to me, too, I lie to them.
MULHEIR: If you lie to parents in order to bring in a child into an orphanage, OK?
VERNET: Yes.
MULHEIR: And if you then get some money or help or goods from foreigners, OK, according to international law, and according to Haitian law, that is trafficking. You have trafficked those children.
VERNET: Yes. I know it's not something like the way you said.
HOLMES: Vernet doesn't see it that way at all. And Haiti's anti- trafficking official say his response is very common.
FILS-LIEN ELY THELOT, PRESIDENT, NATIONAL COMMITTEE AGAINST HUMAN TRAFFICKING (through translator): Some people don't even realize that they're committing a crime. So we have a vigorous campaign of awareness to start to change attitudes.
HOLMES: He says the practice is so normalized, oftentimes the traffickers don't know they're traffickers. And the victims don't know they're victims. But Sondi knows that what happened to him was wrong. "When I'm with my mom, I have everything," he says.
"When I was in the orphanage, I didn't have anything." Today, Sondi is back in school. He dreams of a bright future as a schoolteacher so he can be a mentor to younger children. "I want to be somebody," he says simply, and now he has that chance. Michael Holmes, CNN.
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VANIER: And tomorrow CNN's Freedom Project takes a look at one pastor in Haiti who's trying to stop trafficking in the country's orphanages. Here's a quick.
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HOLMES: Pastor Reginald Celestin runs a ministry in a poor community outside Port-au-Prince. He used to support orphanages but today he's on a mission to close them. It's not been easy.
REGINALD CELESTIN, PASTOR: You cannot just take a kid from an orphanage and bring it back to the parent if you don't provide some sort of financial support to the parent in order to not send the kids back to another orphanage.
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VANIER: We'll air that tomorrow. Our CNN Freedom Project series airs all week and it's also posted on our website, CNN.com. Stay with us, we'll be right back.
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PEDRAM JAVAHERI, CNN INTERNATIONAL METEOROLOGIST: The lake effect snow machine on full blast across the great -- Midwestern United States and across the Great Lakes as well. Here we have very cold air beginning to push its way directly over a relatively warm body of water. That energy transfer that takes place here sets up stage for the snowiest places across the United States there and you could see some significant snow in parts.
But look at Chicago, 10 degrees, sunny sky. New York City remains somewhat chilly there around eight. Montreal two below. Winnipeg, some freezing drizzle possible with one in the forecast.
Not really frankly as the coldest spot here as we get more multiple areas of intrusions there of cold air from early week eventually towards mid and late week and then going into the weekend. Could see additional blasts of colder air but much of it really stays confined to extreme northern portion of the United States. So here's the trend for Washington.
It warms up to 14 eventually back down to 8. In places like the southern U.S., Charlotte and Atlanta do cool off just a little bit towards the latter portion of the week but not a significant change in their forecast. Here's what's going on around the western United States.
You have an active track of weather here bringing in tremendous rainfall across the lower elevations and significant accumulations from the Cascades down toward the Siskiyou, get up towards Whistler, B.C. There are the skiers and snowboarders who will be loving life with significant snow in the forecast there. Down on the tropics, San Juan gets a few showers.
Around Guatemala City, a pair of two. Chihuahua, sunny in 23. Mexico City, 23 degrees.
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VANIER: Welcome back, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip are celebrating their 70 years of marriage. It's their platinum anniversary. Buckingham Palace released these images to honor the moment. Our Max Foster looks back on their romance.
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MAX FOSTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It was the start of a royal romance which charmed the nation and the world. The Queen and Prince Philip married in Westminster Abbey 70 years ago, in a dazzling ceremony broadcast to 200 million radio listeners. One of the bridesmaids was the Queen's cousin and friend, Margaret Rhodes, who passed away last year. She was in no doubt the couple's bond was based in love.
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MARGARET RHODES, THE QUEEN'S COUSIN: I think she fell in love when she was 13. And he was good-looking. You know, he was a -- he was sort of Viking god. She never looked at anybody else ever. And I think he really truly has been a rock.
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FOSTER: The couple met before the Second World War when Prince Philip was a young naval cadet. Until he retired this year, he was an almost constant presence at the Queen's side. A dedication that came at a personal cost for his own ambition.
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MARGARET RHODES: Just have been there all the time behind her and really to sacrifice his life, he did it too, sacrificed his life because I think he would have loved to go on in the navy and really made a career of that. So he sacrificed too. And so I think it's made for a wonderful solid marriage.
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[01:55:02] FOSTER: Their partnership grew. And the Queen would rely on Prince Philip's advice before delivering important speeches.
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QUEEN ELIZABETH OF ENGLAND: My lords and members of the House of Commons.
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FOSTER: Valuing his honesty in a world filled with deference.
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ROBERT HARDMAN, AUTHOR, OUR QUEEN: And his number one job from the word "go" has been to "Support the Queen." Everything he does is in support of the Queen. And it's just been one of the great royal romances I think of history.
People talk about Victoria and Albert as a phrase that trips off the tongue, and I have no doubt that in years to come, people will talk about Elizabeth and Philip in exactly the same way.
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FOSTER: For seven decades the royal couple faced some of monarchy's biggest and most challenging moments together. And behind the scenes, the Prince remains in the Queen's own words her strength and stay. Max Foster, CNN, London.
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VANIER: I also want to update our breaking news from Zimbabwe. It appears President Robert Mugabe has agreed to terms of his resignation just days after an apparent military coup. We'll have more on the breaking news at the top of the hour. Stay with CNN.
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