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Beijing's Reaction To U.S. Criminal Charges Filed Against The Chinese Tech Giant, Huawei; A Brexit Debate Is About To Begin Ahead Of A Vote On Some Important Amendments; Venezuela's Self-Declared Interim President Speaks To CNN. Aired: 8-9a ET
Aired January 29, 2019 - 08:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KRISTIE LU STOUT, HOST, "NEWS STREAM": Hello, I'm Kristie Lu Stout in Hong Kong with the latest on Beijing's reaction to U.S. criminal charges filed
against the Chinese tech giant, Huawei.
MAX FOSTER, ANCHOR, CNN: I'm Max Foster outside the U.K. Parliament as a Brexit debate is about to begin ahead of a vote on some important
amendments.
LU STOUT: And Venezuela's self-declared interim President speaks to CNN.
Just when you thought the relationship between the U.S. and Huawei could not get any worse, the diplomatic fight is rising to an entirely new level.
China is now forcefully pushing back against a slew of charges against a telecom giant and its CFO, Meng Wanzhou, that after the acting U.S.
Attorney General flanked by several other law enforcement and Trump administration officials laid down a damning picture of Huawei's activities
in two indictments.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MATTHEW WHITAKER, ACTING U.S. ATTORNEY GENERAL: Huawei lied to the Federal government and attempted to obstruct justice by concealing and
destroying evidence and by moving potential government witnesses back to China.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LU STOUT: Now, one of the indictments focuses on the alleged theft of trade secrets from T-Mobile. It says, "Huawei employees were asked to
obtain photos and data of T-Mobile phone testing equipment." One Huawei employee allegedly stole trade secrets in the most literal sense by walking
into a T-Mobile lab and secretly snatching off a piece of a testing robot and then hiding it in a laptop bag.
The DOJ says Huawei then obstructed justice by blaming rogue employees and that is just the first indictment. The second says Huawei deliberately
tried to work around U.S. sanctions against Iran. All of this is coming at a critical time for China and for the U.S. Our Matt Rivers joins us now
live from Beijing. And Matt, these charges, wow, the timing here, they come just days before the next round of trade talks. How is Beijing? How
is Huawei? How are they responding?
MATT RIVERS, CORRESPONDENT, CNN: Well, I mean, unsurprisingly, Kristie, Huawei denies the accusations as does the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. But
what was most interesting, I think and it speaks to the timing of all of these is that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs basically just repeated the
same sort of denials that we've heard ever since Meng Wanzhou, the CFO of Huawei was arrested in Canada back in December.
And I think the reason that they didn't get into more heated rhetoric, well, it has everything to do with these trade talks.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
RIVERS (voice over): Sweeping charges announced in Washington against Chinese tech giant, Huawei and its top executive with U.S. officials
presenting a united front against a company they say is quote, "beholden to the Beijing government."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHRISTOPHER WRAY, FBI DIRECTOR: And these cases make clear that as a country, we have to carefully consider the risks that companies like Huawei
pose if we're going to allow them into our telecommunications infrastructure.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
RIVERS (voice over): The basic overriding allegation is that Huawei did business in Iran through a subsidiary using the U.S. banking system to
clear tens of millions of dollars in transactions for that company. That violated U.S. sanctions on Iran. Another major crime Huawei is accused of,
stealing trade secrets from its U.S. business partner, T-Mobile. The company also allegedly had a bonus program that rewarded employees who
stole competitors' intellectual property. Prosecutors paint Huawei as a company that lies and deceives to conduct and grow its business with direct
involvement of executives like Chief Financial Officer, Meng Wanzhou.
Meng was arrested last month in Canada at the request of U.S. authorities. She's now fighting extradition to the U.S. Her lawyer issued a statement
saying quote, "Miss Meng is an ethical and honorable businesswoman who has never spent a second of her life plotting to violate any U.S. law,
including the Iranian sanctions."
Huawei says it's disappointed to learn the charges saying in a statement that quote, "The company denies that it or its subsidiary or affiliate have
committed any of the asserted violations of U.S. law and believes the U.S. courts will ultimately reach the same conclusion."
Beijing's response appears more forceful with the government urging Washington to stop what it called an unreasonable crackdown on Chinese
companies like Huawei.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GENG SHUANG, CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN (Through a translator): The U.S. has deployed state power to smear and crackdown on targeted
Chinese companies in an attempt to kill their legitimate and lawful operations, with strong political motives and manipulations behind such
moves.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
RIVERS (voice over): Strong language, but no mention of serious consequences like those Canada has possibly faced so far. Two Canadian
citizens were detained in China on national security grounds shortly after Meng's arrest.
[08:05:07]
RIVERS (voice over): Both cases widely seen as retaliation for Meng, something Beijing denies. One likely reason for the different response is
the latest round of U.S.-China trade negotiations set to start in Washington no Wednesday.
Faced with a markedly slowing economy, analysts say the Chinese leadership is under growing pressure to reach a deal with the U.S. to end the months-
long trade war, and the last thing that China might want is derailing those talks before they even begin.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
RIVERS (on camera): Now, Kristie, one thing that we didn't get in these indictments was the U.S. government detailing in any sort of specificity
why or how they believe Huawei is completely beholden to China's government, but if you're suspicious of that already and there's plenty of
reason to be, then these two indictments are certainly not going to make you feel any better about Huawei's reliability when it says that it doesn't
take orders from Beijing.
LU STOUT: Yes, and more on Huawei and how it's going to impact these trade talks, again, kicking off this week because so far, these negotiating teams
on both sides, they have been able to keep on talking, you know, independent of the rising tension over Huawei. At what point will the
tension spill over and derail the talks? Could the trigger be, for example, the extradition of Meng Wanzhou?
RIVERS: I mean, it certainly could be. I mean, it's a huge deal. I mean if Meng Wanzhou ends up in a U.S. courtroom, the visuals of that just can't
be overstated. It would embarrass Beijing in a major way. It's worth noting that the extradition process could take months and months and months
before she actually gets extradited to the United States. There's a series of hearings that have to go on in Canada before that can happen. So maybe
the trade deal will have been wrapped up by then or not. No one really knows at this point, but yes, I mean, it's going to have an impact on these
negotiations and the outstanding question is, will the United States use this as some sort of leverage in their talks with the Chinese counterparts.
LU STOUT: Yes, so much uncertainty about her legal future and also the future viability of Huawei. Huawei is under immense pressure, not only in
the U.S., but in many other parts of the world especially nations that are friendly with the U.S. How badly is all of this hurting the company?
RIVERS: Massively. I mean, the image, the hit that Huawei has taken to its image is huge. I mean, you've got a growing coalition of countries
like Australia, like England, like Germany that have expressed suspicions over allowing Huawei to be a part of their critical telecommunications
infrastructure due to national security concerns. That hurts its ability to grow. These cases don't help, but I think more interestingly, it could
be that the United States could potentially use the charges in these indictments as a way to institute export control.
So basically, Huawei and other Chinese telecom makers need critical components for some of their technologies from the United States. If the
United States says, "Sorry, U.S. companies, you're not allowed to export those items to China anymore." That could cripple Huawei's ability to do
business and we've already seen that happen, Kristie. Remember ZTE, it wasn't that long ago that we saw export controls be put into place by the
United States and that crippled ZTE and it was only saved when Donald Trump stepped in personally. That could happen to Huawei down the road, perhaps
not completely hurting it as bad as ZTE did, but it would have a massive effect and could really cripple any hope that Huawei has to become the
global tech superpower that it wants to.
LU STOUT: Yes, both companies identified as security threats by the U.S. and both companies being targeted, Huawei in the hot seat right now. Matt
Rivers, as always, we thank you for your reporting.
Let's bring in former U.S. Director of National Intelligence and CNN National Security analyst, James Clapper. He joins us now from Washington.
Sir, thank you very much for joining us here on the program. Good to see you again.
JAMES CLAPPER, FORMER DIRECTOR OF U.S. NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE: Thanks for having me.
LU STOUT: These charges that are out there, the new charges against Huawei accuse Huawei of violating sanctions, of breaking U.S. laws, of bad
business practices. But is Huawei a security threat and a counterintelligence threat to the U.S.?
CLAPPER: Well, absolutely. I think it's been a longstanding concern of the U.S. Intelligence community that any of the Chinese telecommunications,
IT and telecommunications companies like Huawei, like ZTE, for example, have to be considered as extensions of the Chinese intelligence service.
In fact, Chinese law encourages, if not mandates that when called upon, these companies will cooperate with the Chinese government.
So in our view or the view of the intelligence community, I think it's still true today, they consider this a profound counterintelligence threat.
[08:10:05]
CLAPPER: In fact, during the announcement of the indictment, FBI Director Wray kind of made that point that these companies pose both an economic
threat; an economic challenge as well as a challenge or threat to U.S. national security.
LU STOUT: Got it, so China, a profound threat to America's economy, to America's security, as well. But in terms of national security threats, it
seems like a lot of the focus, a lot of the attention has been on Russia. So between Russia and China, which one represents the biggest long-term
threat to the U.S.?
CLAPPER: Well, I think in the short-term, the near term, particularly as long as Vladimir Putin is running things in Russia, for a number of
reasons, Russia poses a great threat to us. Long-term, though, clearly is China because of their economic power and their scientific and technical
prowess and, of course, their impressive and I think disturbing military modernization program.
So in the near term, Russia, long-term, clearly China.
LU STOUT: Got it. So China, a long-term threat to the United States. Huawei, a profound security threat to the United States in your words, and
we know that Huawei has been in business for a while and recognized as a threat for years. So why has it taken so long for the U.S. to take action?
Why is it that the previous administration did not act on Huawei?
CLAPPER: Well, actually, a lot was done in the last administration, basically, to warn potential American partners of the counterintelligence
threat that these companies pose. What's interesting about this, though, that -- these are criminal charges. Bank fraud and crimes like that are
quite apart from the counterintelligence threat posed by this company. And this apparently, the development of this case has been going on for some
time.
LU STOUT: Got it. But under the current the Trump administration, the pressure is on Huawei on various fronts, do you think the Trump
administration will be effective at containing the threat that Huawei poses?
CLAPPER: Well, I don't know. That will remain to be seen, but I would think a criminal indictment like this would certainly put a damper on the
business prospects in this country. The extent to which people deal with the likes of Huawei, I really can't say. I don't know the extent of that
particularly currently.
LU STOUT: Yes, we would just have to wait and see on that. There's the old saying, you know, the best defense is a good offense and, yes, the U.S.
right now is going after Huawei in a big way with these criminal charges, but can the U.S. do better on defense? And what I mean by that is focusing
on building up labs, building up R&D centers, and overall industrial competitiveness?
CLAPPER: Well, you know that's - you can always do better no matter what you're talking about. So yes, we need to do better in the way of cyber
defense, particularly given the purloining of intellectual property, which is pervasive and widespread by the Chinese, so yes, you can never have too
much defense.
LU STOUT: James Clapper, always a pleasure to have your thoughts and your analysis on this program. Thank you, sir. Take care.
CLAPPER: Thanks for having me.
LU STOUT: And let's go over to Max Foster outside the Parliament of London with a busy Brexit day. Max.
FOSTER: Yes, any moment now in the House of Parliament behind me, British Prime Minister Theresa May due to open today's crucial debate on her Brexit
fallback plan. And what is at stake. Some talk here that she could be reopening the negotiations with Europe. Details next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[08:15:05]
FOSTER: With exactly two months to go and exactly two weeks since the first spectacular defeat of her deal, the British Prime Minister Theresa
May is due back in Parliament to debate her plan for Brexit. In a matter of hours, lawmakers will vote on a series of amendments as they push to
break the Brexit deadlock.
One possible amendment seeks an extension of Article 50. Another backed by Theresa May herself pushes for changes to the Irish backstop which is why
we're joined by DUP Member of Parliament, Ian Paisley, Jr. The Prime Minister relying on his party to get much of her legislation through
Parliament.
You are very much part of that defeat of her Brexit deal in Parliament the last time around. She now needs to convince you to get you on her side.
What can she say today which would bring you on side with her?
IAN PAISLEY, JR., MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT, DUP: Well, the Prime Minister has made a number of commitments over the last number of months to us. We want
her to honor those commitments. And indeed, very few weeks ago she made a commitment that she would get legality and just through the text of the
withdrawal agreement. That's the only thing that matters.
We're voting on a treaty here. A treaty is a legal agreement. This will must be a legal text forever, so it must be correct. And our desire is to
get a good deal. Our desire is not to crash out and have some calamity for the U.K. We are interested in stability and a good process both with
Europe and with the rest of the world, importantly with the United States of America, so the Prime Minister honoring her earlier word of getting us a
good deal that is legally signed, that addresses this issue of the backstop once and for all, it doesn't make it a political issue. We can get there.
And I must say, I echo her Majesty's words of last week. There is common ground here and as politicians, it's our duty to find them.
FOSTER: Yes, she said you should seek common ground.
PAISLEY: Yes.
FOSTER: It just seems as though some of the back benchers are doing that. You've got arch Brexiteers and remainers getting together to try to come up
with a solution, just to explain the noise in the background.
PAISLEY: They're my fan club.
FOSTER: People from both sides coming out and sort of chanting at each other. Specifically with the backstop, what are you looking for?
PAISLEY: Well, we don't believe the backstop is actually necessary.
FOSTER: We're on a limit - time limit on that last --
PAISLEY: Well, I don't think it's actually necessary. It's become a political weapon. So the Irish government can basically say, "Look at what
we have achieved." What the Irish government should be concentrating on is a trade deal with the United Kingdom as part of the E.U., so that's what
really matters to the Republic of Ireland, a good trade deal with us, as we leave the E.U. and a better trade deal with our partners that we make
across the world. And I think that we need to get away from the high political drama that has been created of troops back in our border and all
sorts of nonsense like that.
This is not a security crisis. This is about trade. And who can really blame us wanting to have a good trade deal with the rest of the world and
make more jobs, more productivity, more opportunities for our people? And the Irish and they're sort of should be welcoming that.
FOSTER: Would you vote for the Brady amendment if Theresa May commits to reopening the negotiation with Europe?
PAISLEY: Well, the Prime Minister did commit to opening negotiations. Europe has, of course, indicated that "Oh, this is now a matter for
Parliament. We're not opening our side of the agreement." The agreement is a complete misnomer. If you and me make an agreement, but you don't
agree with it, it's not an agreement. And Europe has to recognize that what is currently there is not an agreement and therefore, let's do the art
of what is possible. Find a common ground in there and make a new agreement. If the Prime Minister is able to achieve that, we will wish her
well and we will encourage her.
FOSTER: But where is the common ground when as a matter of principle, the Europeans say you have to have the border if you're not going to be part of
our Customs Union effectively?
PAISLEY: Well, there has always been border there and there has always been free movement on that border before we were members of the E.U., both
the Republic of Ireland the United Kingdom, so it boils down really, Max, to is there a will - an official will, there's then trust and there's then
a way and we need to get it in that sequence and the moment there's a bit of lacking in skill in both sides, let's get the skill into this and
achieve that will to make this happen.
[08:20:10]
FOSTER: A long day ahead until the votes tonight. Thank you very much.
PAISLEY: Thank you.
FOSTER: We'll be listening to the speech with you. Hadas Gold is in the English town of Arundel meanwhile, which voted to leave the E.U. with a
majority of 62%, are they engaged in all of this Parliamentary politics there, Hadas?
HADAS GOLD, REPORTER, CNN: They're definitely aware of it, Max, this beautiful town, which right now is rather rainy, but is home of Arundel
Castle behind me which is, yes, the same name as the kingdom in the Disney movie "Frozen," and to borrow a line from that movie, most people here want
the politicians to just "let it go."
We've talked to several people today including small business owners who said that they fear sort of the unknown of what could happen. These are
both remainers and leavers, and most of them just want the politicians to come to some sort of compromise and get moving. Take a listen to what they
had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's a complete mess, isn't it, really and truly. A complete mess. And I don't think that as many - that as people would have
voted to leave if they had known what a mess this was going to be.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This has really been divisive. It scares me because you can see that it doesn't take much for countries to fall into disrepair
and to start warring with each other. We've seen that in Europe before and I don't want that to happen again.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm worried about a no-deal. I'm not stockpiling - I am not stockpiling anything. Maybe I ought to. But I am worried about a
no-deal. I think it will be disastrous for the U.K. economy if there isn't a deal.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Being British, we tend to obey what we're told to do, and I think it's time we kicked back.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GOLD: And actually, Nick Herbert who are is a Member of Parliament for this area and had led the Conservative Party's campaign for remain said
that he wrote in his column for "The Sunday Telegraph" just this Sunday that he wants politicians to come together to a compromise as he did. He
said he voted to remain, but then voted for Theresa May's Brexit deal. Of course, the question on everyone's mind here is whether tonight, they will
see any sort of compromise coming from Westminster. There doesn't seem to be a lot of hope here that that will happen, Max.
FOSTER: Okay. Hadas, thank you very much, indeed. Bianca is with me now. DUP - how many MPs have they got? Ten MPs or something.
BIANCA NOBILO, CORRESPONDENT, CNN: Ten MPs.
FOSTER: They seem to be dictating government policy at this point. Still not committing to any of those amendments or which way they're going to go
in the future with Brexit. What did you make of the conversation earlier?
NOBILO: Well, I think they are the kingmakers, obviously, because Theresa May lost her majority at that election in 2017 and they remain critical.
And it's an interesting kind of conflation of circumstances here because during the referendum campaign, the issue of Northern Ireland and avoiding
a hard border on the Island of Ireland --
FOSTER: It wasn't there.
NOBILO: It wasn't there. Nobody discussed it. So not only is that now front and center, the totemic issue and the one which strikes at the heart
of this Brexit debate, whether it's about sovereignty, whether it's about what kind of future trading relationship Britain is going to have with the
E.U., and it's now front and center. So she does depend on DUP support and that's really going to be critical for whatever she intends to get through
the House of Commons, unless she decides not to focus on the DUP and getting her own back benchers on her side, but looking across to the Labour
benches.
Now, she has been warned against that because of the potentially devastating impact that would have on her own party's unity.
FOSTER: So she has got a crucial speech coming up. She needs to get people behind this Brady amendment which effectively says she will go back
to Europe and start negotiating again and then we've also got talk of Plan C that bubbled up this morning, which that plays into -- just explain what
is happening there.
NOBILO: It does, yes. A couple of different things happening. So Plan C first of all is not on the order paper today, so it's not being debated.
However, it is very interesting. It's the first move of its kind in that it's unifying remainers on the Conservative side like Nicky Morgan and
arch-Brexiteers like Jacob Rees-Mogg. They both approve of this plan. It's likely to be able to get a lot of support. It would see the
transition period potentially extended until the end of December 2021, and it's got things which appeal to both sides. So that is definitely
something we need to keep an eye on.
In terms of the Brady amendment, which the government has decided to back, it's also very significant that Theresa May is now saying she's willing to
go back to the E.U. to reopen negotiations because that was an issue that the Brexiteers had with the Brady amendment. They thought it was too vague
and Graham Brady himself said, "Well, we don't necessarily need to reopen the withdrawal agreement. We could have a codicil or something attached to
the Political Declaration where we could clarify that." But that is not enough for the arch-Brexiteers that Theresa May needs to get on side.
And something we can say when we're looking at all of this confusion and what's happening today is Theresa May's strategy, at least for the moment,
does certainly seem to be as she's trying to win over her own side, the back benchers and the DUP as opposed to that possibility of trying to go
cross party and reach out to Labour.
FOSTER: You say that, but Labour just thinks she's trying to run the clock down. She's trying to create this - she won't agree to commit to a no-
deal, but she wants to keep this premise that it's her deal or no-deal.
[08:25:10]
FOSTER: And when we come up to the wire, it's still there. That's why Labour wants to get away from this idea that a no-deal is possible at all.
NOBILO: And there are figures within the Conservative Party that I've spoken to that have said that Downing Street do believe that keeping that
prospect of no-deal alive is still the U.K.'s key leverage point in these negotiations with the E.U., which are now in the end game. So it's
important for them, they think, to keep that prospect alive, but as we have been hearing in the last couple of days, warnings whether it's from the
British retail consortium about what it would do to having enough food in the supermarkets to the former Head of MI-5, warning that we'll be less
safe in Britain in the event of a no-deal. But the government remain adamant that they need to keep that option on the table.
FOSTER: Your friends are back. They follow you everywhere.
NOBILO: I think they're following you.
FOSTER: They're being removed these days, we've got the police removing protesters here. But as you can hear on the road behind, those protests
are very much alive, Kristie. Tensions rising every time we come back here because there's still a deadlock.
LU STOUT: Yes, and it will be fascinating to see what British MPs do today and how they attempt to shape the future of Brexit. Max Foster reporting
live for us. Thank you so much, Max. You're watching "News Stream" and still ahead, Venezuela dives deeper into political and economic crisis.
Military defectors are asking the U.S. and neighboring countries for support. We'll get the latest from the region, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LU STOUT: I'm Kristie Lu Stout in Hong Kong. You're watching "News Stream" and these are your world headlines. The U.S. Congressional Budget
Office says the recent government shutdown will affect economic growth for the rest of the year. It led to a loss of some $11 billion in GDP due to
delayed paychecks, shorter work hours and stalled contracts. $3 billion of that will never be recovered, while the remaining $8 billion is expected to
be recovered as workers return.
The Chinese government has slammed the U.S. for filing criminal charges against Huawei. The U.S. alleges the Chinese telecom giant stole trade
secrets and evaded U.S. sanctions on Iran. The charges come in addition to those the company's CFO is facing after her arrest in Canada in December at
the request of the U.S. Her lawyers says she should not be used as a pawn in the U.S.-China spat.
Chinese state media is defending the capabilities of their so-called Guam killer missile. They've released a series of articles and video to back up
Beijing's claims that DF26 ballistic missiles can hit moving ships, but experts are skeptical, saying that the video does not actually reveal much.
[08:30:10]
LU STOUT: Beijing's latest media push challenges a CNN report which doubts the missile's ability to hit moving ships at sea. Pakistan's Supreme Court
says Asia Bibi, the Christian woman freed from death row last year will not be retried. She had been convicted of blasphemy in 2010 and sentenced to
death for insulting Islam. Last year, Bibi won her appeal. She is now expected to seek asylum in another country.
Russia is slamming the United States over its newly imposed sanctions on a Venezuela state-owned oil company calling the move illegal. The U.S.
National Security adviser says that those sanctions would cause President Nicolas Maduro's government more than $11 billion in assets over the next
year. The Trump administration hopes that this economic squeeze will force Mr. Maduro from power.
Venezuela's self-declared interim President Juan Guaido says he supports the sanctions. In fact, here is what he told CNN Espanol.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JUAN GUIADO, VENEZUELAN SELF-DECLARED INTERIM PRESIDENT (Through a translator): First, this is part of protecting Venezuela's assets. For a
very long time, Maduro's regime stole this money. An estimated $4 billion which is four times Venezuela's GDP and losses. This would protect assets
so that they can be used towards Venezuelans and to attend the humanitarian emergency that is at the center of our policies.
Three point three million migrants, Venezuelans live with less than $3.00 a month. So we must use some of these resource to address this humanitarian
emergency.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LU STOUT: U.S. officials are also refusing to rule out military options in Venezuela. Let's bring in CNN's Nick Paton Walsh. He joins us live from
Bogota, Colombia, and Nick, the U.S. considering military options, but they have deployed sanctions against Maduro, and we know that Maduro, he has
powerful friends outside the country, inside the country. What impact will these sanctions make?
NICK PATON WALSH, SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT, CNN: Well, he needs money and that's how he's been keeping hold of the elites inside of
Venezuela despite the crippling economic crisis and starvation enveloping most of that company. Now, the White House is fanning the flames, it's
fair to say of rumors about possible military options. National Security adviser John Bolton very conspicuously, might I say, clumsily or deftly
depending on how you interpret it, walking in front of reporters with a yellow pad with the phrase "5,000 troops to Colombia."
Now, that's caused, obviously, a lot of consternation and reaction here in Bogota where I'm standing. We've had no confirmation from Colombian
Ministers that there is any change in the U.S. posture here scheduled at all. They have hundreds of troops here in an anti-drug operation and
border security operation already. But still, as we speak, the fear, I think amongst many Venezuelans is their current extraordinary economic
plight may soon turn into something with the nature of military element to it, and we've actually heard from defectors from the Venezuelan military
who appealed directly to the White House to give them arms, so they could get others inside to rise up and help them liberate Venezuela. Here is
what they had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PATON WALSH (voice over): Hunger often explodes as rage on Venezuela streets, but it's not ousted Maduro's government as the military generals
have their backs.
The Defense Minister tweeted his soldiers would die for the government. Yes, while the rank and file expressed support in videos like this, they
tell us they're suffering like everyone else.
Some Venezuela officers have even defected and outside the country have appealed on TV for a military uprising. But their supporters haven't
reached critical mass and now they tell us they want the White House to arm them. "As Venezuelan soldiers, we're making a request to the U.S." he
says, "to support us in logistical terms with communications, with weapons so we can realize Venezuelan freedom."
"We're not saying we need only U.S. support, but also from Brazil, Colombia, Peru -- all brother countries that are against this
dictatorship." They show me the WhatsApp groups plotting rebellion they hope reach thousands of soldiers, but they also rejected any possible
military intervention by U.S. Forces themselves. "We don't want a foreign government invading our country," he says. "If we need an incursion, It
has to be by Venezuelan soldiers who really want to free Venezuela. Now we are unifying all those military groups working towards freedom to create a
really big one that can be decisive."
The appeal for U.S. help comes after military uprisings have seen little success so far. This group of soldiers in Caracas, over a week ago, staged
a rebellion. It was short-lived and ended in their reported arrest.
[08:35:08]
PATON WALSH (voice over): In a basement car park in Caracas, I meet a serving soldier, afraid to be identified, as he spoke of the chance of an
uprising. "There are soldiers in every unit," he says, "That are willing to rise up in arms. They're preparing themselves and learning from past
mistakes. They're waiting for the right moment so they can hit even harder so people feel it. A few units are missing weapons and ammunition, too,
taken for this purpose. Past operations have failed because the higher ranking officers were against it. They control every area still. And if
an uprising happens, it's swiftly neutralized."
But he's heard messages to rise up from defectors and says they do inspire. It's a very positive message, he says, because somehow they give us hope.
They are outside Venezuela, but feed our soul and inspire us. They are in the army for now, as elsewhere in Venezuela, it's a handful of elite
keeping down many below them.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
PATON WALSH (on camera): Now, the head of U.S. Southern Command sort of their part of the U.S. military that has interest in South America is here
on what we're told is a routine visit. That's according to the Defense Minister speaking to go Colombian media and I think that will add to the
fears here or possible speculation, you might say, that we're seeing a more military aspect potentially developing.
I have to tell you, I can't see many Venezuelans welcoming the idea of military conflict being added to their current woes. Still off the table,
but everything is apparently on the table according to the White House who are doing they everything they can to keep that speculation alive --
Kristie.
LU STOUT: Venezuela's leadership crisis, economic crisis, humanitarian crisis -- everything -- it's still dragging on. Nick Paton Walsh reporting
live for us, thank you.
Now, the end may be in sight. That is the word from the acting U.S. Attorney General on the investigation into Russia's meddling in the 2016
Presidential election. In the 20 months, Special Counsel Robert Mueller has been on the case, he has secured more than three dozen indictments
including six Trump associates, Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker took the rare step of speaking about the case on Monday.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MATTHEW WHITAKER, ACTING ATTORNEY GENERAL: You know, I've been fully briefed on the investigation and you know, I look forward to Director
Mueller delivering the final report, and I really am not going to talk about an open and ongoing investigation otherwise. But you know, sort of
the statements that I have made, where as a private citizen, only with publicly available information. And you know, I am comfortable that the
decisions that were made are going to be reviewed, you know, either through the various means we have, but right now, you know, the investigation is, I
think, close to being completed and hope that we can get the right from Director Mueller as soon as possible.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LU STOUT: Quite a of bit of perspiration there. Now, it is not clear what Whitaker meant by saying "reviewing decisions," but some congressional
Democrats are calling the comment "chilling."
You're watching "News Stream" and still to come, do you want to take a jab at ageing? Well, you might want to put on some boxing gloves. We'll
explain.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[08:40:00]
LU STOUT: Now, physical activity is one key to living longer and that can involve more than just a brisk walk. Our chief medical correspondent, Dr.
Sanjay Gupta takes a look at South Africa's boxing grannies.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
SANJAY GUPTA, CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT, CNN: Picture a boxing match, the intensity, the punches, the jukes and jabs. Who do you visualize? You
probably didn't say a group of elderly ladies. But maybe these women can change your mind. Meet the boxing grannies of South Africa.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I am 66 years old.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm 71 years old.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I am 78.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Sixty nine.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I am 73.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Sixty five years old.
CONSTANCE NGUBANE, BOXING GRANNIE: My name is Constance Ngubane, I'm 80 years old. I'm a boxing granny.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GUPTA: Constance has been boxing here since the program began in 2014.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NGUBANE: I started boxing to make myself healthy and strong. I feel young. I feel like of 16, but I'm not 16, I'm 80.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GUPTA (voice over): Twice a week, the grannies come to this gym in Cosmo City on the outskirts of Johannesburg. As much a social activity as the
physical one, it's the combination of the two that can boost benefits gain from exercise. A study from the Mayo Clinic found that physical activities
with more social interaction were associated with the best longevity.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One, two, go to the back.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GUPTA (voice over): Mable is 68. She's noticed the change in her overall health since she started coming here four years ago with both her diabetes
and her high blood pressure.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MABLE MAKHOSI, BOXING GRANNY: When I come for gym in here, then I found now my sugar, it can be controlled, even my high blood. And when I go to
hospital to checkup, then my doctor tells me, "What did you do? Because you used to have a problem about your diabetes." I said, "No, I'd done my
exercise." Then my doctor tell me, "You're doing well and it does help you." That is why I love my boxing.
CLAUDE MAPHOSA, BOXING COACH: Keep your hands up. Keep your hands up.
The changes I've noticed among them, their self-esteem is quite, you know, overwhelming.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GUPTA (voice over): Coach Claude Maphosa is one of the visionaries behind the project, helpingto create a place for the elderly community of Cosmo
City to stay activate and motivated to lead longer and healthier and happier lives.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAPHOSA: What I've learned a lot from these grannies is you have to have patience, perseverance, and you've got to be disciplined yourself. It
teaches you a lot about life and their way of health, you know, it also encourages me to keep on going.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
LU STOUT: I love those ladies. They are strong, they are an inspiration. And that is it for "News Stream." I am Kristie Lu Stout, but don't go
anywhere, "World Sport" with Amanda Davies is next.
(SPORTS)
[09:00:00]
END
