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CNN International: Blinken: Gazans at Severe Levels of Acute Food Insecurity; Trump Criticized for Trafficking in Anti-Semitic Tropes; Biden Stumps in Battleground States Nevada, Arizona; Former General; Questions Over Catherine's Absence from Royal Duties; The Struggle in Haiti to End Gang Violence and Regain Stability. Aired 4- 4:30a ET

Aired March 20, 2024 - 04:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

[04:00:00]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANTONY BLINKEN, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: 100 percent of the population in Gaza is at severe levels of acute food insecurity.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They are running out of ways to protect their children from starvation and from the bombs.

DONALD TRUMP, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT, 2024 PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We need strong people in our country. Our country is going downhill very fast, very rapidly.

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Last week, Donald Trump and I clinched a nomination. We're going to beat him again.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Culpability and responsibility do not lie with the troops on the ground.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The military helped build an army, a state, but we could not forge a nation.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANNOUNCER: Live from London, this is CNN NEWSROOM with Max Foster and Bianca Nobilo.

BIANCA NOBILO, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, and a warm welcome to our viewers joining us from all around the world. I'm Bianca Nobilo. Max has the day off, kind of.

It's 8 a.m. here in London, 10 a.m. in Gaza, where there are new warnings on the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the enclave. The World Health Organization says a growing number of infants there are on the brink of death from acute hunger.

It comes just a day after a U.N.-backed report predicted an imminent famine in northern Gaza between now and May. The U.S. Secretary of State says Gaza's entire population is at severe levels of food insecurity, while the U.N. human rights chief is warning Israel that continued restriction of aid into the territory may amount to a war crime.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VOLKER TURK, U.N. COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS: The extent of Israel's continued restrictions on the entry of aid into Gaza, together with the manner in which it continues to conduct hostilities, may amount to the use of starvation as a method of war, which is a war crime.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NOBILO: Despite the growing international pressure, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he's determined to achieve Israel's war goals in Gaza, especially in the southern city of Rafah.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER (through translator): We have an argument with the Americans regarding the need to enter Rafah, not regarding the need to eliminate Hamas, but rather the need to enter Rafah. We do not see a way to eliminate Hamas militarily without destroying those remaining battalions.

I made it supremely clear to the U.S. President in our conversation that we are determined to complete the elimination of these Hamas battalions in Rafah, and there is no way to do it except by going in on the ground.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NOBILO: Netanyahu's comments come despite warnings from U.S. President Joe Biden to refrain from a ground incursion in Rafah. Meantime, the non-profit organization who organized the first aid boat to Gaza confirms the aid has been successfully delivered to northern Gaza.

World Central Kitchen says around 200 tons of assistance was delivered Tuesday alongside a World Food Program convoy, and a second boat is now loaded and ready to depart Cyprus. A UNICEF spokesperson welcomed this life-saving aid.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAMES ELDER, UNICEF SPOKESPERSON: Today I just wished I could have just captured the number of mums who just greeted me in tears, just simply in tears because they are running out of ways to protect their children from starvation and from the bombs.

They're doing everything they can, but they know decisions about their children's safety are being made elsewhere.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NOBILO: The Israel Defense Forces is urging Palestinians in Gaza to share any information they have about the remaining Israeli hostages in the enclave. The IDF sent text messages to people on Tuesday offering cash in exchange for any information. A CNN journalist also received the message.

The message lists two phone numbers and a link to a website which directs them to a page with pictures, names and ages of the hostages.

And in the coming hours, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to address U.S. Senate Republicans via a video call.

Joining me now is CNN's Nada Bashir. Nada, can you bring us up to date on the latest that we have between meetings of Israeli and U.S. officials and what it tells us about the dynamic between them and whether or not a ground incursion into Rafah is likely?

NADA BASHIR, CNN REPORTER: Well, look, we are seeing mounting pressure now from the United States on Israel. This is, of course, one of Israel's closest allies.

And we've been hearing from U.S. officials, including U.S. President Joe Biden, growing increasingly vocal calling for Israel to do more to protect civilian lives in Gaza, particularly in the south and around Rafah.

[04:05:00]

Now, of course, we did hear, we did see that President Biden and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke on Monday. This is the first time they've held a call in about a month. And, of course, the big focus there was, again, the situation in Rafah.

And now we are hearing, according to the Israeli Prime Minister's office, that an Israeli delegation will be heading to the U.S. for further talks with U.S. officials. The White House says these talks could take place as early as next week, though it's unclear who exactly they'll be meeting from the White House. But, again, the key focus will be the situation in Rafah.

And we did hear from the Prime Minister. He addressed the Defense and Foreign Affairs Committee in the Knesset, saying that Israel is determined to go into Rafah, that they view this as a crucial element of what they believe to be their war against Hamas, that they believe this is an important aspect of that military operation. But, of course, this is an area where some 1.5 civilians are now displaced, are sheltering there.

They were pushed into the south by IDF orders, telling them to evacuate southwards for their own protection. That happened as early as October, of course. So what we have seen is this huge influx of civilians in the south.

And, of course, this is an area where we do see aid coming into Gaza as well, although not as much aid as is needed. But this is a crucial gateway via the Egyptian border crossing. Now, we know that the White House has said that it cannot, categorically, cannot support any sort of ground operation in Rafah without a credible plan for the protection of civilians.

Prime Minister Netanyahu has said that the Israeli leadership wants to allow civilians to evacuate, that it has directed the Israeli military to prepare a plan for the evacuation of civilians from Rafah into other safe areas. But what we've been hearing from aid groups, from UN agencies, is that there is simply nowhere else left for civilians to turn. And, in fact, the White House itself has said it has not yet received any credible plan showing that they are working towards the protection of civilians in Rafah.

So until that plan is received, the U.S. is saying it simply cannot support this operation.

NOBILO: It's interesting because we've been speaking so much recently about the desperate need for aid, but that really is a side point when you consider the devastating potential of any form of ground incursion in Rafah. As you say, 1.5 million civilians have become concentrated there.

That's where the lion's share of the aid comes in. We were speaking to aid workers yesterday who were saying that it really is the trucks. That's what gives us the best chance of supplying aid to people, not the airdrops, not the maritime corridor.

It's the trucks that are coming through that border. I mean, the potential for humanitarian catastrophe if something happens there and further disrupts these people's supplies and potential to receive aid, it's huge.

BASHIR: Absolutely. And, you know, we've already been seeing civilians taking it upon themselves to evacuate themselves back to parts of central and northern Gaza, areas which have been completely destroyed and areas where it is extremely difficult to get any aid in. And we've seen limited amounts of aid trucks being actually able to cross from southern Gaza into parts of central and northern Gaza.

And, of course, we are repeatedly hearing those warnings of a looming famine, something that could be declared in the coming weeks, if not days, according to a U.N.-backed report.

We're hearing about more than a million people in Gaza now who have completely exhausted their food supplies. We're hearing from doctors and from the World Health Organization saying they are seeing an increasing number of newborn babies now being born severely underweight, pregnant mothers who are starving. And this is a desperate situation, but it is only growing more desperate by the hour because of that difficulty in getting aid in.

And you heard there from the U.N.'s human rights chief warning that this could amount to a war crime. We've heard repeatedly now from the U.N. and other U.N. officials saying that they believe Israel is intentionally starving the Palestinian people in Gaza.

Now, Prime Minister Netanyahu spoke to CNN over the weekend saying that Israel does not want to do that, that, in fact, Israel is working to ensure that there is enough humanitarian aid getting into the Gaza Strip, and they have accused Hamas of looting aid coming in.

But that is a claim which has been categorically denied and rejected by aid groups, by the United Nations, and, of course, as we have heard repeatedly, not enough aid is getting in via those land crossings because of obstructions put in place by Israeli authorities on the ground.

NOBILO: Nada Bashir, thank you very much.

The match-up is now set for what should be one of the most important U.S. Senate races this November.

CNN projects Trump-backed Cleveland businessman Bernie Moreno will win the Ohio Republican primary. He will face incumbent Democrat Sherrod Brown in a contest that could decide which party controls the Senate. CNN exit polls show roughly seven in ten GOP voters says it's at least somewhat important that their next senator supports Donald Trump.

And Moreno was effusive in his praise of the former president in his victory speech.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

[04:10:00]

BERNIE MORENO, U.S. REPUBLICAN SENATE CANDIDATE: And I want to thank President Trump for all he did for me, for this campaign, for his unwavering support, for his love of this country. Because I don't think I've ever seen somebody who loves this country the way he does. So thank you to President Trump.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NOBILO: Meanwhile, Donald Trump voted Tuesday in the Florida Republican primary. The former president responded to recent comments from his vice president, Mike Pence, who said he could not in good conscience endorse Trump's campaign.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT, 2024 PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I couldn't care less. I couldn't care less. We need patriots. We need strong people in our country. Our country's going downhill very fast, very rapidly. Millions of people coming across the border, coming from jails, from prisons, coming from mental institutions and insane asylums, terrorists. We need strong people in this country. We don't need weak people.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NOBILO: The former president is coming under criticism for his remarks over the past few days about Jewish voters in the U.S. Some say he's trafficking in anti-Semitic tropes, but Trump is doubling down, seen as Brian Todd reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Disturbing comments from the former president on American Jewish voters. On a podcast, Donald Trump was asked about recent criticism of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that had come from the Biden administration and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. Trump said those people, quote, hate Israel. Then --

TRUMP: Any Jewish person that votes for Democrats hates their religion. They hate everything about Israel, and they should be ashamed the themselves. Because Israel will be destroyed.

TODD (voice-over): Pressed on that later, Trump didn't back down.

TRUMP: I think that the Democrats have been very, very opposed to Jewish people. That's true, and to Israel.

TODD (voice-over): It's all drawn a sharp response from the Anti- Defamation League.

JONATHAN GREENBLATT, NATIONAL DIRECTOR, ANTI-DEFAMATION LEAGUE: It prejudicial, it's patently false and we have to push back. Whether you vote blue or red has not necessarily been an indicator of your passion or your support for Israel.

TODD (voice-over): Trump's comments also brought immediate condemnation from the Biden White House, which said Trump spread, quote: Toxic, false stereotypes that threaten fellow citizens.

This isn't the first time Trump has been criticized for trafficking in anti-Semitic tropes or having his respect for Jewish people called into question. In a 2016 interview with CNN, he refused to condemn former Ku Klux Klan Grand Wizard David Duke.

JAKE TAPPER, CNN ANCHOR, THE LEAD: Will you unequivocally condemn David Duke?

TRUMP: I know nothing about David Duke. I know nothing about white supremacists.

TODD (voice-over): Trump later claimed he had disavowed Duke. In his new book, "The Return of Great Powers," CNN's Jim Sciutto quotes retired General John Kelly, Trump's former White House chief of staff, as saying that Trump once praised Adolf Hitler.

Kelly saying, quote: He said, well, but Hitler did some good things. I said, Well What? And he said, well, Hitler rebuilt the economy. I said, sir, you can never say anything good about the guy. Nothing.

In 2021, a spokeswoman for Trump denied that he had praised Hitler. As president, Trump also failed to counter anti-Semitic hatred, like after white supremacists' violent rallies in Charlottesville.

TRUMP: You also had people that were very fine people on both sides.

TODD (voice-over): But as president, Trump did take actions that were very beneficial to Israel, like moving the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. And he's often spoken glowingly about his daughter Ivanka, who converted to Judaism, and his Jewish grandchildren. Why would he make those comments about Jewish voters now? MARGARET TALEV, SENIOR CONTRIBUTOR, AXIOS: The bet is that the Jewish

vote has been so resoundingly pro-Biden and pro-Democratic that even weakening it just a little bit in a really close election could make a difference.

TODD: Despite all the brushback, Donald Trump's campaign remained defiant over his comments. A campaign spokeswoman saying in a statement, quote: President Trump is right. The Democrat Party has turned into a full blown anti-Israel, anti-Semitic, pro-terrorist cabal, end quote.

Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NOBILO: President Biden is making his pitch for a second term in the battleground states of Nevada and Arizona. He won both states back in 2020, but polls show tight races for November. Mr. Biden is hoping to shore up support among Latino voters who were a key part of his 2020 coalition.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BIDEN: We have a lot more to do. A lot more to do. The reason this election is so important is not about me. It's about the future. It's about the future. He wants to undo every single thing we've done if he gets elected. He's stated it straight up. But there's so much more to keep and to do.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NOBILO: More now from CNN White House correspondent Arlette Saenz.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: President Biden brought his reelection pitch here out west to the battleground states of Nevada and Arizona on Tuesday.

[04:15:00]

The president beat former President Donald Trump here back in 2020, but polling has shown much more narrow contests this time around. So President Biden trying to invest the time early to shore up support from voters.

Now the president traveled to Reno where he met with campaign workers and volunteers at an office there and then traveled here to Las Vegas, Nevada. His focus in Las Vegas was trying to address the cost of housing in America.

White House officials are keenly aware that many Americans are facing a housing crunch amid high rental prices and also high interest rates facing homebuyers. The president trying to address some of the initiatives that he would propose in a second term to try to alleviate some of those costs. As officials, campaign officials are very aware that some of the

feelings about the housing market are contributing to the sour economic sentiments that many Americans are feeling at this time.

Another focus for President Biden while out west was trying to shore up support among Latino voters. Latino voters make up a sizable portion of the electorate in both Nevada and Arizona. The president traveled down to Arizona to launch the campaign's Latinos Cone Biden Harris initiative.

It's an organizing program to really try to mobilize Latino voters heading into November. The president needs to build up support with those groups at a time when former President Trump has really tried to make some inroads in the community, a coalition that typically has helped Democratic candidates.

So President Biden, as he met with those voters, organizers in Phoenix said that he recognizes Latino voters could be key to him securing a second term to the White House. He's trying to put in the work early now to help him do that.

Arlette Saenz, CNN, traveling with the president in Las Vegas, Nevada.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NOBILO: Two senior generals who oversaw the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021 testified at a hearing on how the 20-year war ended.

Retired General Mark Milley and retired General Kenneth McKenzie both blamed the State Department for not ordering the evacuation of noncombatant U.S. citizens sooner. And Milley offered this assessment about the end of America's longest war.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEN. MARK MILLEY (RET.), FORMER JOINT CHIEFS CHAIRMAN: Nothing we're going to discuss today happened overnight. It was a process of withdrawal that spanned a decade. The outcome in Afghanistan was the cumulative effect of many decisions over many years of war. At the end of 20 years, we the military helped build an army, a state, but we could not forge a nation.

The enemy occupied Kabul, the overthrow of the government occurred, and the military we supported for two decades faded away. That is a strategic failure.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NOBILO: The Republican chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee is calling for accountability on how the withdrawal played out and slamming the Biden administration over a bombing that killed 13 U.S. service members at the time. One general is blaming it on policy decisions.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) GEN. KENNETH MCKENZIE, U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND (RET.): I'd like to talk a little bit now about Abbey Gate. It was a tragic event, one of many that have occurred over our 20-year engagement in Afghanistan.

It remains my opinion that if there is culpability in this attack, it lies in policy decisions that created the environment of August 2021 in Kabul. Culpability and responsibility do not lie with the troops on the ground who performed magnificently.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: Democrats are blasting the hearing as a political show to attack the Biden administration.

The Royal Rumor mill has been hard at work coming up with the most outlandish reasons on why the Princess of Wales has kept a very low profile lately. But given the recent controversies over doctored photos, how can the public completely believe every update issued by Kensington Palace? CNN Royal correspondent and my lovely co-anchor Max Foster has this story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MAX FOSTER, CNN ANCHOR AND ROYAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Smiling, happy and seemingly healthy.

New video not sanctioned by the Palace but reassuring Royalists that the couple are well. British tabloids also celebrating Kate's re- emergence and apparent recovery from surgery.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's good to see that she's back and hopefully she's doing well.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm sure that it'll be quite nice for her to walk around, do some shopping with her husband.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don't really have any doubts. I don't know. Just a bit of a weird, wasn't it?

FOSTER (voice-over): Weird because of the conspiracy theories that have swamped social media in recent weeks, filling a void of information from the Palace. And the video did nothing to quell them as it was accused of being fake. Trust in any royal imagery undermined in part by Kensington Palace itself.

After it sent out not one but two doctored photos to the news media, both taken by the Princess. Kate's edited Mother's Day photo manipulated in several places. And now this one, released last year, which Getty Images has now labelled digitally enhanced.

CNN found inconsistencies in several spots, such as a misalignment on the Queen's skirt and blanket.

[04:20:00]

Strands of Princess Charlotte's hair appear to have been cloned and Prince Louis' shoulder is blurred, overlapping the background.

Getty told CNN in a statement it's reviewing all so-called royal handout images and placing where relevant an editor's note saying it could have been digitally enhanced.

KATE WILLIAMS, CNN ROYAL HISTORIAN: William and Kate, Kensington Palace were so trusted at Christmas and now, three months later, we have a situation in which whatever photo is put out, people don't believe it.

FOSTER (voice-over): The lack of information coming from the Palace about the Princess has created conspiracy theories, often wild ones, which get worse when the Palace has been found to be manipulating images.

WILLIAMS: Either they should have said nothing and kept with that, just as they said they were not going to say anything until there were significant updates, or they should have put out a few little statements, perhaps a little statement from Kate saying thank you for the lovely cards, and kept people updated to a degree.

FOSTER (voice-over): Seemingly unfazed and in good spirits, royals refusing to be distracted in public. Prince William making a long- planned visit to a homelessness project in Sheffield.

No lack of support there, or from the papers, as the rumors continue online.

Max Foster, CNN London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NOBILO: Still ahead, the U.N. manages to continue aid deliveries in Haiti despite the spiraling gang violence. I'll speak with a former U.N. official in the Haitian capital about the growing crisis there.

Plus, Argentina's new president ran on a platform of economic reforms to lower inflation, but 100 days into his presidency, many people in the country are going hungry.

And critics are sounding the alarm over a new national security law in Hong Kong. So we'll take a closer look at what's included in this latest legislation.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NOBILO: The U.N. says the situation in Haiti remains tense and volatile. Still, aid deliveries have continued, with more than 242,000 gallons of water sent to Haiti this month. And the World Food Programme has provided more than 146,000 hot meals.

The surge in gang violence has forced many schools, hospitals, and government buildings to close. And Haiti's public electricity company says several substations in the capital Port-au-Prince have been destroyed, leaving some areas without power. Joining me now from Port-au-Prince is Monique Clesca, a pro-democracy

activist, former U.N. official, and a member of the Montana Accord Monitoring Bureau.

Wonderful to speak to you this morning, Monique. Thank you very much for joining us from Port-au-Prince. Can you give us an update on what the situation is like there at the moment from what you can see?

MONIQUE CLESCA, PRO-DEMOCRACY ACTIVIST: The situation is extremely tense, extremely stressful, and extremely terrifying.

[04:25:00]

Two days ago, the gangs came in my neighborhood. And they basically -- what we had to do was protect ourselves. Two days ago, the gangs came in my neighborhood.

And they basically, what we had to do was protect ourselves. And I think one of the things that is significant is the resistance of communities. Because we set up roadblocks, and they just really be on the lookout, and activated WhatsApp groups, et cetera.

But regardless, the children are extremely scared. Adults are extremely scared. And there is no public force really to help us. So we are the ones who are coalescing to help ourselves in different neighborhoods.

So several bandits were killed. Others went in different places. Last night, I understand, there were neighborhoods also that were attacked. And so everybody is on the lookout for gangs and really working for solutions, whether it be local solutions or the collective solutions that really need to get us out of this crisis, which is political, which is humanitarian, which is security, which is constitutional. It is a multidimensional crisis that we are living in, and we need to get out of it.

NOBILO: And Monique, before I ask you more about what some of those solutions might be, everything that you just said tallies precisely with what a journalist, an editor-in-chief of AyiboPost in Port-au- Prince said to me yesterday about the gangs, the blockades, how people are trying to fight back.

Can you tell our international viewers more about the relationship between the gangs? Obviously, there are lots of different ones, and the Haitian people. Is there any element of the gangs trying to carry favor, or is this purely a violent, coercive kind of relationship and dynamic?

CLESCA: Well, what I know is that we have been terrified by gangs now for years, gangs who have worked with government officials.

There are U.N. reports, there is a school, a legal clinic report, there are human rights reports that say that the economic elites, as well as some members of the economic elites, even a bank director was sanctioned, as well as government officials have worked hand-in-hand with the gangs. Of course, there have been mentioned also of the fact that there are

some police officers who have worked with the gangs, although overwhelmingly, the police officers are honest and are hardworking, and a lot of them have paid with their lives.

So in terms of us, the population, what we can say is that we are suffering. We have endured the horror of the gang warfare.

When I went out yesterday for about one hour to the market for some essential goods, there were bodies on the street, there were cars that were burnt, motorcycles that were burnt, and there were people with bags who were trying to find other places to go to, running away from their homes.

So the relationship of the community with the gangs is one of horror, it is one of terror, it is one of, we do not want you in our communities.

This is what I lived two nights ago, that's what I lived last night, that's what my neighbors are living, this is what we are living in the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area of about four million people. That is this relationship that I can talk about.

NOBILO: Monique, it's absolutely hellish to hear those descriptions, and I'm so sorry that you and your neighbors and the people of Haiti are enduring this.

What happens next? Because Ariel Henry's announcement that he would step down once a transitional council has been appointed has not seemingly done anything to quell this violence and this horror which is engulfing Port-au-Prince. What are the next steps? What needs to happen to secure the capital and make people feel safer?

CLESCA: What needs to happen first is a political agreement. CARICOM that was taking the lead, really we haven't heard from them for days, so we don't know what has happened.

There was a huge meeting with photos, news conferences, etc., but CARICOM has not come back to talk to us. And so we are talking between ourselves in terms of different political groups, the Montana Accord that I'm part of, and trying to really get together ourselves so that we can define an agenda for the next 100 days, the organization of the transitional council, and the fine lines of the political agreement.

[04:30:04]

Once that is done, that means moving forward, there are really huge priorities. But the first two priorities are establishing security and dealing with the humanitarian crisis, because there are about 400,000 people who have been displaced, and last night with the gang activities in Petionville, they are probably more displaced with the gang activities in my neighborhood the night before, they are probably more. And there are people going hungry, there are women, girls who have been raped.

So these two huge priorities, establishing security and dealing with the humanitarian crisis are the first ones of the provisional government that will come. So the next steps then is establishing the political accord with a provisional seven-member commission that will work, as well as a prime minister, whether it is a man or a woman, we do not know yet, because they will have to make a choice. And then moving forward with the emergencies, and then setting up things for at least elections in the long term.

Nothing can happen now before we have at least those immediate steps to move us forward and get us out of the hellish situation, horrible, terrifying situation that we're living.

Imagine the children who haven't gone to school now for the third week in Port-au-Prince and the terror and the scary thoughts that they are having. This is really unimaginable.

NOBILO: That's exactly the word I was about to use. Monique Clesca, thank you very much for that incredibly powerful delineation of what is happening in Port-au-Prince and what needs to happen. It's urgent that the world pays attention to this. Please keep safe and thank you very much for joining us.

CLESCA: Thank you. Thank you for having me.