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North American Leaders Address Migration; Classified Documents From Joe Biden's Time As Vice President Discovered In A Private Office; Powerful Storm Pummels California With Torrential Rain; Virgin Orbit's Rocket Launch Fails. Aired 2-3a ET

Aired January 10, 2023 - 02:00   ET

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

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[02:00:17]

ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Hello, and welcome to our viewers joining us from all around the world. I'm Rosemary Church. Just ahead here on CNN NEWSROOM. The fallout from the riots in Brazil's capitol, President Lula da Silva vows hundreds of Bolsonaro supporters will be punished and the law and order will be restored.

The U.S., Mexico and Canada tackle migration, the economy, climate and drug gangs, but can the trilateral talks lead to a real action plan?

Plus, no one is spared and Prince Harry's tell all memoir in bookstores now.

And we'll discuss the big takeaways and explosive accusations and a live report from London.

ANOUNCER: Live from CNN Center. This is CNN NEWSROOM with Rosemary Church.

CHURCH: Good to have you with us. Well, Brazil is reeling from what the country's highest government powers are calling acts of terrorism after thousands of supporters of former President Jair Bolsonaro stormed the country's three branches of government. President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is criticizing the police conduct before and during Sunday's attacks and is accusing them of negligence and con events.

The justice minister says some 1500 people have been arrested since the violence broke out in Brasilia. That's when protesters upset over Bolsonario's election defeat broke into key government buildings leaving behind widespread damage in Congress, the Presidential Palace and the Supreme Court. On Monday, authorities disbanded a camp set up by Bolsonaro supporters in the capital.

Buses carrying protesters could be seen headed toward police headquarters. Later that night, a huge pro-democracy crowd turned out on the streets of Sao Paulo, just one day after those attacks in the capital. Meantime, Brazil's former leader is in the United States where he tweeted this picture from a hospital bed in Florida. His wife says he's being treated for abdominal discomfort. Brazil's Justice Minister says Bolsonaro bears political responsibility for the attacks. But right now, there are no legal grounds for an investigation.

CNN's Isa Soares is following all the developments and has more now on the unrest in Brasilia.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ISA SOARES, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): A stunning attack on Brazil seat of power. As thousands of supporters of former far-right President Jair Bolsonaro broke through security cordons in Brasilia. Roaming presidential building corridors, vandalizing congress, smashing windows, stealing presidential documents, and destroying in valuable works of art. Simply running riot through Brazil's halls of power.

And seems eerily similar to the insurrection in the U.S. Capitol two years ago. One week earlier, the scenes were of democratic triumph, as Bolsonaro's left-wing rival Lula da Silva was inaugurated as the new Brazilian President following a tight election result. Bolsonaro never explicitly conceded a need that that his most ardent followers.

This, this is my hero. I match his home, our home, our home, a Bolsonaro supporter says from inside the presidential palace.

Protesters dressed in the colors of the Brazilian flag. Now a symbol of Bolsonaro's far-right movement. Unfilled banners from the Congressional building rooftop, demanding the result of Brazil's most fraught election in a generation be overturned.

More than thousand arrests were made after security forces use tear gas and stun grenades to regain control of the congressional building. The Supreme Court and presidential palace. But by the time they did the damage had already been done. The President's chief of communication showed destruction inside his own office.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's unbelievable what was done in the palace. Look at the state of the rooms, equipment, computers. Look at this.

SOARES: World leaders condemned the attack as an assault on democracy. Brazil's new president pinned the blame on his predecessor, accusing him of encouraging rioters through social media from Florida. He promised no stone we left unturned vowing to find those responsible.

LUIZ INACIO LULA DA SILVA, PRESIDENT OF BRAZIL (through translator): We will find out the financiers and they will pay with the force of the low for this irresponsible gesture. This anti-democratic gesture of vandals and fascists.

[02:05:03]

SOARES: Bolsonaro denounced the actions of his supporters from the U.S. where he traveled after the election. The former president already facing at least four Supreme Court investigations. The later scenes will only add to further calls at home into Bolsonaro's influence on his base. A conservative firebrand politician who for years has been taking cues from the Trump playbook, pushing election fraud conspiracies, and casting doubt on the integrity of the electoral system.

Isa Soares, CNN, Brasilia.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: And joining me now to discuss all the developments is Christopher Sabatini. He is a senior research fellow for Latin America, U.S. and the America's program at Chatham House. Thank you so much for being with us.

CHRISTOPHER SABATINI, SENIOR FELLOW FOR LATIN AMERICA, CHATHAM HOUSE: Thanks, Rosemary.

CHURCH: Now, you suggested in a tweet that the mob attack on key government buildings in Brasilia signaled something sinister was in the works and that the U.S. should extradite Jair Bolsonaro to Brazil to face the consequences of inciting his supporters to overthrow democracy. What exactly did you mean? And do you believe Bolsonaro was orchestrating this from Florida even though he condemned the violence and he's currently in the hospital?

SABATINI: Well, first of all, he's been stoking this animosity, this distrust towards the electoral system with no evidence for months now. In the first round and the second round, he claimed that it was electoral fraud, his -- Steve Bannon, by the way had also claimed that a report that could be some internet interference was indication of fraud. And then he didn't -- never -- he never accepted the consequences of the election, he never considered as your correspondent, Isa Soares said.

And, you know, while he did denounce the violence, you cannot, you know, hand a mob, the matches, give them the gasoline and point them towards the house and then claim that you didn't commit the arson. Clearly, he had some direct influence. Now, obviously, to be extradited there has to request by the Brazilian authorities to do so. But I do think a full investigation has to take place.

And I think the United States, if that request is made, has to be willing to demonstrate its objectivity when it comes to defending democratic norms in the world, but especially in the western hemisphere has to be willing to hand over Bolsonaro if indeed, and I think there's a very strong argument here that he indirectly influenced and incited this mob to commit a horrible act of terrorism against the three branches of Brazilian democracy.

So, we don't have direct evidence. But I think, you know, all the pieces are there.

CHURCH: Right. And if he is extradited, what should happen to Bolsonaro? And, of course, his supporters if they're found guilty of attacking democracy in Brazil and are we seeing a decline of democracy right across Latin America?

SABATINI: Oh, those are two big questions, Rosemary. First, the, you know, what should happen to that obviously is up to the Brazilian justice system. President Lula has said that he will make sure that ensure that justice is done, we've rounded up as you mentioned, 1500 insurrectionists, you know, this is -- this is sedition, this is insurrection, it's mob violence. It's obviously vandalism as well, the least of the charges of course.

If they should be prosecuted the fullest extent of the law. The problem here, of course, is that Brazil is a deeply divided country. Bolsonaro lost by only 1.8 percent of the vote. And the two sides are deeply distrustful of each other. So, in trying to ensure there's accountability for this horrendous attack, Lula is also going to be have to be careful not to inflame the other side, not just to continue to stoke this animosity.

Now, in terms of democracy in the hemisphere, it is in the decline. It's sad, if you look at freedom house's evaluation of democracy every year, it has declined in the hemisphere. But populism from both sides from both the left and the right, what we've learned whether it's in Mexico, whether it's in Venezuela or in Brazil, the demagoguery distrust over democracy is really stoking the decline in trust in democratic institutions and the decline in support for democratic norms.

And so, it runs across the ideological spectrum. And indeed, it's very troubling. For now, at least Brazil - in Brazil, democracy is held. The military didn't intervene, despite the calls by the mob for them to overturn the constitution.

CHURCH: And just how alarmed were you by what happened in Brazil's capital on Sunday? And of course, the parallels that are being drawn - were drawn with what happened here in the United States on January 6th?

SABATINI: I was alarmed, entirely surprised, no. The Lula government and of course the outgoing Bolsonaro government allowed these encampments by Bolsonaro supporters that that took root, if you will, right after the second-round elections on October to remain outside the military barracks. Not just in Brasilia, but in Sao Paulo and across the country and those encampments, people regularly coming out and calling for the military to intervene to overthrow the elections.

And I think we were all surprised that no violence occurred immediately after the elections or during the inauguration but it was a surprise that it happened a week after a Lula was inaugurated on January 1st.

[02:10:09]

You know, we'll have to see what happens in the future with this. But the truth is, is the government or elements of the government and certainly the state police forces and the federal district, the state where Brasilia is, the governor is an ally of Bolsonaro. It looks very much like they ignored social media messaging on the preparations for this protest. They brought together 40 buses and collected supporters.

Brought them in Brasilia, announced it actually -- announced there's going to be food and fireworks and fun at the protest and nothing was done to beef up security to protect Brazil's democratic institutions.

CHURCH: Yesh, sadly, a very familiar scenario. Christopher Sabatini, many thanks for joining us.

SABATINI: Thank you.

CHURCH: Appreciate it. A Peruvian official says at least 17 people have died in the latest anti-government protests. Nearly 70 others were wounded on Monday during the unrest in the southern city of Juliaca according to Peru's vice health minister who says almost 30 police personnel will also hurt. State media report the Peruvian president is calling on citizens to come together for the sake of the country.

The demonstrations began last month after the former president was impeached and removed from office.

The civilian death toll is on the rise in Ukraine after a series of Russian attacks. Ukrainian officials claimed a Russian missile hit a road in the city of Kramatorsk, killing two people in their car. And in the Kharkiv region, another reported missile strike hit a village market, killing two people and wounding four others. Ukraine's government reports Russia has launched a powerful assault on the eastern town of Soledar in the Donetsk region.

The industrial town is known for its salt and gypsum mines and a vast network of cavernous underground tunnels, which could be used to hide troops and military equipment.

And CNN's Clare Sebastian is following the latest developments for us. She joins us live from London. Good morning to you, Claire. So, talk to us about the strategic importance of the eastern tunnel Soledad. Both Ukraine and Russia and how difficult this battle is proving to be.

CLARE SEBASTIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Rosemary. So Soledar is sort of on the outskirts of Bakhmut which is where we've seen some of the most intense fighting in this war over the past few months. Russia has been trying for months to take that city. It is seen as a key fork point on the intersection of multiple highways linking some of the key cities to the northwest that Russia has not captured yet, like Kramatorsk and Slavyansk.

And then back into Russian-controlled territory cities Lysychansk and Severodonetsk. So, it's a -- it's a logistics center. Soledar itself we know according to the head of Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin whose own forces we believe are fighting in that city. He says that they are interested in the salt mines in that city. They're cavernous salt mines, some auditorium size which he says like underground cities and can be used to store weapons and equipment.

So, it has interest in that regard as well. This is very intense fighting. The Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister reported that Russia tried to take that city then failed, retreated, regrouped and is now trying again. She says that they're even covering some of their own forces with artillery fire from MLRS, rocket launchers and things like that. Incredibly intense. President Zelenskyy himself says that there's barely a wall left standing in that city, but he is not giving up. Take a listen to what he had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY, PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE (through translator): The battle for the Donbas continues and although the occupiers have no concentrated their greatest efforts on Soledar, the result of this difficult and prolonged battle will be the liberation of our entire Donbas.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SEBASTIAN: So that, of course, would include territory that Russian proxies, Russian-backed officials have been occupying since 2014. The conflict there but clearly, I think what this shows is that this is a very people intensive weapons, intensive war that we're looking at here. There are many speculation going around that Russia may be considering another round of mobilization to fuel its forces on the frontline. The Kremlin though on Monday, denying that, Rosemary.

CHURCH: All right. Our thanks to Clare Sebastian joining us live from London.

Iran has sentenced three more anti-government protesters to death on charges of "waging war against God," according to state media. This follows two more executions over the weekend, bringing the total number of people known to have been executed in connection with the protest to fall.

[02:15:00]

Demonstrations erupted across the country in September after 22-year- old Mahsa Amini died in the custody of the morality police for allegedly not wearing her hijab properly. The international community is rallying behind the protesters, multiple European countries summoned their Iranian ambassadors and condemned the death sentences.

Meantime, Iran's supreme leader calls the anti-government protests acts of treason.

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AYATOLLAH ALI KHAMENEI, SUPREME LEADER OF IRAN (through translator): Undoubtedly, these actions are treason and responsible institutions deal with treason, seriously unjust.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Meantime, families of the protesters executed on Saturday are mourning the loss of their loved ones. CNN's Jomana Karadsheh has more. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOMANA KARADSHEH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): A mother's heart wrenching final farewell for her son. The oppressor took you away from me, she cries at his grave. Now you're asleep here, she says. This is the only goodbye, Mohammad Mehdi Karami's family got. No final, visit no justice.

The 21-year-old Kurdish Iranian karate champion was executed by the Islamic Republic this weekend along with Seyyed Mohammad Hosseini, a volunteer children's coach. They were convicted of killing a member of Iran's Basij paramilitary force during a protest in November. Death sentences handed down after what rights group say or sham trials based on forced confessions extracted under torture.

Karami's parents had taken the risk of speaking out in social media recordings, begging the state to spare their boy's life.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (text): They can convict him to two life sentences, 50 years of prison, just so I knew continues to breathe. I swear to God I don't know what to do. Two whom should I complain? They're killing my innocent child. What should I do? Who should I talk to?

KARADSHEH: The ruthless republic has shown no mercy, at least four young men hanged, many others facing execution by a regime that appears to be using the death penalty to crush dissent.

Among them, 19-year-old Mohammad Boroughani and 22-year-old Mohammad Ghobadloo sentenced to death by this notorious judge, Abolqasem Salavati, nicknamed the judge of death. Sanctioned by the U.S. in 2019 for harsh sentences he's issued activist, journalists and political prisoners.

On Sunday night, a crowd gathered outside the prison where Ghobadloo and Boroughani are being held after activists reported their execution was imminent.

Seems of sheer bravery as the crowd chant against the regime and support Ghobadloo's mother, they sing it all to try and save her son.

No one really knows how many protesters have been sentenced to death, more than 40 According to CNN count. But the real number is believed to be higher. And this past week, new sentences were reported by activists.

Mansour Dehmordeh, a disabled member of the Baluch minority was sentenced to death. One of many arrested during these ongoing raging protests in the city of Zahedan. Activist are urging the international community to do more than just condemned these executions to try and save the defenseless on death row. Save their families from this unimaginable pain.

Jomana Karadsheh, CNN, Istanbul.

(END VIDEOTAPE) CHURCH: And still to come. More stunning revelations from Prince Harry as his memoir Spare hits bookstores. We will have a live report from London.

Plus, after zero COVID is cast aside China's airport suddenly a full of families reuniting after years of state-imposed separation. We'll have a report from Beijing. Back in just a moment.

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[02:21:13]

CHURCH: Large crowds at a London bookstore at midnight hours Prince Harry's eagerly awaited memoirs Spare releases globally. The explosive tell-all book provides a deeply personal look at Harry's life growing up as a royal and lays bare the riffs within the British monarchy.

Ahead of the book's release, Prince Harry has been making allegations about some members of the British Royal Family. He's accusing Camilla, the Queen Consort of leaking stories to the media as part of a campaign to rehabilitate her image. But the Duke of Sussex adds he loves his family.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What is your relationship with Camilla now?

PRINCE HARRY, DUKE OF SUSSEX: We haven't spoken for a long time. You know, I love every member of my family, despite the differences. So, when I see her, we're perfectly passing with each other. You know, she's my stepmother. I don't look at her as an evil stepmother. I see someone who married into this institution and has done everything that she can to, you know, improve her own reputation and her own image for her -- for her own sake.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: There's been no comment from Buckingham Palace or Kensington Palace on the books so far.

CNN's Bianca Nobilo joins me now live from London with more. Good to see you, Bianca. So, Prince Harry's revelations about his stepmother Camilla scathing and she's apparently furious over them. It's hard of course to see how fences will ever be mended after this. What are you hearing about this and Harry's unflattering comments about his own father's role?

BIANCA NOBILO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, time will tell, Rosemary, as to whether or not this does really impact popular support for the monarchy because now the book is officially on sale in the United Kingdom. Bookstores, some in London opened at midnight to cater to that demand. In fact, I drove past one of them coming into the office. You're looking at live pictures now of people queuing outside Waterstones, one of the main retailers for books in the United Kingdom. So, we've had these revelations and these leaks in the rather chaotic launches spare since last week. But they have been out of context and naturally inflammatory. So, it will be interesting to see when people in this country read the entire book, all 410 pages in the British version themselves, whether or not they're perhaps more forgiving of Harry, whether they understand his perspective more.

Because broadly speaking, I think in the United Kingdom, there has been an incredulity at how Prince Harry can say that he wants to mend these fences. He does indeed love his family, he doesn't intend to damage them or do anything that could hurt them. Meantime, releasing these personal revelations which do not paint the monarchy or members of his family in a flattering light.

CHURCH: It certainly seems contradictory, doesn't it? And of course, at the core of his memoir, Prince Harry tries to come to terms with the sudden loss of his mother, Princess Diana and the guilt that he felt as a boy for not crying when she died. And it's his love for his mother, isn't it? That keeps linking back to how he feels about Camilla and her role in his mother's life. And of course, now his. What are the wider ramifications of this and all his revelations?

NOBILO: Well, Rosemary, you've identified a very important point because Princess Diana's initial presence in his life, and then her tragic departure from it is the through line throughout Prince Harry's identity it seems from the interviews he's done around the book. And indeed, his life and the pages of this memoir. It influences everything from his early trauma at the death itself, retelling the story of how he was informed by then Prince Charles that his mother had died.

[02:25:01]

How for many years he convinced himself or hoped and believed that she wasn't really dead when it finally dawned on him and then his experimentation with drugs, psychedelics, to try and feel and to try and disrupt the status quo of the pain that he felt in his life from the loss of his mother. But he does go on to say that he feels that she is still present in his life. We know that he's spoken to a woman who "had powers who he was skeptical of but reaffirm that connection that he has with his mother."

And he also admitted in an interview that he felt Princess Diana would be very sad at the current state of relationship between himself and Prince William. So, this is the overarching theme of the book and an indelible imprint on Prince Harry who identifies that he had a form of PTSD and panic attacks resulting from her death as well. But perhaps it's interesting to note that he does also reveal personal details about how Prince William responded to Princess Diana's death and that is Prince William's story.

So, I think this is why there are inherent contradictions in some of the narratives that we're hearing from the Sussex camp but nobody can deny the tragedy of Princess Diana's death. And Prince Harry's right to discuss that however he sees fit. CHURCH: Yes, absolutely. Bianca Nobilo joining us live from London. Many thanks. Well, China has announced it will suspend issuing short- term visas for South Koreans wanting to visit the country. It's the first retaliation by Beijing in response to COVID-related restrictions imposed on travelers from China. The Chinese Embassy in South Korea calls Seoul's restrictions discriminatory.

South Korea is among a growing list of countries imposing restrictions on people coming from mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau. Those restrictions include PCR testing and quarantining upon arrival.

And inside China, people are on the move again with the self-isolation of zero-COVID in the rearview mirror. Travel restrictions have fallen and the great migration for the Lunar New Year is expected to reach some two billion trips.

CNN's Selina Wang shows us how families are rushing to reunite with their long-lost loved ones.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SELINA WANG, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Anticipation is in the air, flowers in hand, they anxiously wait. This is the most exciting day in three years at Chinese airports as the country reopens its borders. And the moment finally arrives. These are especially meaningful reunions for the first time since the start of the pandemic. Travelers from abroad can meet their families right after getting off the plane instead of getting sent to a quarantine facility.

We documented this family's reunion. A mother and her son waiting for her husband, his father at the airport. They haven't seen each other in almost a year.

UNIDENTIFIED FEFMALE (through translator): Yes, I'm really excited. It's been too long. I'm thrilled to see him today.

WANG (on camera): A little shy, but he says he misses his dad and the flowers are for his dad.

WANG (voice over): They patiently wait hours for his arrival, the family running to greet the father. His son finally getting that warm embrace.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): It feels great to go home straight without quarantine.

WANG (on camera): The Beijing Capital International Airport is finally coming back to life. But as China is opening up, other countries are getting nervous. More than a dozen countries have imposed COVID-19 testing rules on travelers coming from China.

WANG (voice over): But it's not stopping people from going abroad.

JANE SUN, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, TRIP.COM GROUP: The pent-up demand is very strong. We have seen three-digit growth in a search volume for almost all the destinations.

WANG (on camera): So, the platform saw the biggest increase in international searches and bookings since the pandemic started.

SUN: That is correct.

WANG: Where are you going to right now?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Macau.

WANG: Macau.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

WANG: Are you excited you don't have to quarantine anymore?

UNIDENTIFIED FEFMALE: It's very good.

WANG: This family is waiting to board their international flight. I asked him where he wants to go the most.

He said he really wants to go to Italy this year.

WANG (voice over): Across the country, all of China's land borders have reopened from Hong Kong to Inner Mongolia and the north. Xinjiang in the west and Yunnan in the south. All the gates now pushed open. No more restrictions. Residents cheered the historic moment. But the celebratory mood dampened by the explosive spread of COVID. Hospitals across the country overflowing with elderly patients.

The medical system was unprepared for the country sudden U-turn away from zero COVID. But it's a poignant moment for all of these families at the airport after years of sacrifice during zero COVID finally they're reunited.

[02:30:06]

Selina Wang, CNN, Beijing.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: And still to come, tackling one of the biggest crises in North America. Leaders from the U.S., Mexico, and Canada will meet to discuss migration. We will look at whether there's any hope for progress in the next few days. Back in just a moment with that.

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CHURCH: Attorneys for the U.S. President say they discovered a small number of classified documents at a Washington think tank where Joe Biden once worked. Officials say less than a dozen papers were found in his former office at the Penn Biden Center on November 2nd. And were turned over to the National Archives the next day. They appear to be government records from Mr. Biden's time as Vice President. Officials say the Justice Department is reviewing the matter and the White House is cooperating. When asked about it on Monday, the President made no comment.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Any comment on the documents, Sir?

CHURCH (voiceover): The discovery of these documents comes months after classified records were found at the home of former President Donald Trump. But there are key differences. For one thing, Trump is being investigated for potential obstruction, after he initially refused to return his documents to authorities. In Biden's case, the records were turned over immediately.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH (on camera): Well, in the day ahead, Mr. Biden will take part in a leaders summit on the most pressing issues in North America. The talks will be held in Mexico City with his Canadian and Mexican counterparts. According to the White House, a major topic of discussion will be immigration, and the recent surge in border crossings to the U.S. Ahead of Tuesday's Summit, Mr. Biden discussed the matter in a bilateral meeting with Mexico's leader. He expressed confidence that they would find solutions.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, U.S. PRESIDENT: There's much we can do, much we have to talk about. And I'm looking forward to being able to do it because I'm confident. I'm confident we can get it done. I'm confident we're at one of those moments of a real change in direction.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Ana Maria Salazar is the former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense and Policy Advisor for then-President Clinton's Special Envoy for the Americas. And she joins me now from Mexico City. Good to have you with us.

ANA MARIA SALAZAR, FORMER ADVISER FOR U.S. SPECIAL ENVOY FOR THE AMERICAS: Oh, thank you, Rosemary. Greetings, greetings from Mexico City.

[02:35:02]

CHURCH: So, the North American Leaders Summit brings together the leaders of Mexico, the U.S. and Canada for three days of talks on major topics. Immigration, clearly the top issue of discussion, but also drug smuggling and border security. The Biden administration is playing down expectations. So, what is achievable in the next few days, do you think?

SALAZAR: Well, I think what was going to be achievable has happened. There's an agreement by which Mexico will be accepting up to 30,000 migrants back into Mexico, which migrants coming from Haiti, Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua. Which is actually politically is a win for President Biden, since the possibility or a strategy to control the flow of migrants crossing through Mexico into the United States was one of the big priorities. There was discussions -- there are discussions of better cooperation to confront these criminal organizations, that are trafficking fentanyl into the United States.

And a lot of goodwill speeches regarding climate change. Mexico, initially, at least this administration was not very keen in talking about climate change strategy. They are now. And that is one of the priorities of -- obviously, is one of the priorities of President Biden. So, it's -- I mean, there's some things that have been agreed to already. And it's just to show that there is the willingness to cooperate, but the issues are very difficult. And that these are issues where both the President of Mexico and the President of the United States don't see necessarily eye to eye.

CHURCH: And, of course, the Biden Administration says this is also an opportunity to get to the root causes of why so many immigrants are heading to the --

SALAZAR: Right.

CHURCH: -- United States. How critical is it to figure that out, and come up with better solutions, perhaps, to the immigration problem at the southern border?

SALAZAR: You know, that's a really important question, because the President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has been very insistent. And he's been a mostly annoyingly insistent in terms of pushing the United States to invest more money in Central America, with the assumption that if you provide direct cash, or you provide some programs in the short run, people will stop migrating through Mexico to try to enter the United States. As you know, the U.S. has a different view of how to control migration from Central America, which is with investment, creating employment, creating a secure and safe environment, so they don't necessarily see the -- you know, providing cash and crops to people as the best strategy. So, it's a -- it's a good question, because both the United States and Mexico don't see eye to eye.

And what makes all of these issues so interesting, we also have Canada. And Justin Trudeau is here. And when you think about it, Canada really doesn't worry about it, the migration issue is not a big concern. And the trafficking of fentanyl up until now is not a big concern. So, it's a little bit uncomfortable, because, you know, the -- you have the Prime Minister in the room, and you have the President of the United States, and the President of Mexico in the room. And you have supine at least some issues, where there is -- where Canada has to -- has the interest and input.

CHURCH: Yes, it's an important point. President Biden is, of course, in Mexico after facing considerable criticism for not meeting with any migrants during his first visit to the border since becoming president. Why wouldn't he have met with at least some migrants? What the -- What's the logic behind sanitizing his visit? Surely that opens him up to more criticism.

SALAZAR: Obviously. And can I tell you something? President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, when he went to the United States, and he went to -- when he went to Washington, he didn't meet with migrants either. I mean, it's kind of this hot potato, where they know that if you sit and talk to at least the leaders of some of the migrant groups, there is going to be a lot of complaints, a lot of concern. And it's kind of this uncomfortable situation, Rosemary, and it's terrible for, you know, these millions of people that live in the United States, have been working in the United States, their children were born in the United States, and, you know, you have leadership that is uncomfortable meeting with them, because, you know, they entered illegally, you know, quote, unquote, illegally into the United States.

And from the President's perspective, President of Mexico's perspective, you know, it's a little uncomfortable because, Mexico depends on the remittances coming from the United States into Mexico, but he doesn't meet with them directly. So, that is a very good observation. It would have been an easy win to meet with these migrants, but the criticism he would receive in the United States or from the Republicans and from the more Conservatives, is that he's meeting with people who technically are -- technically are criminals because they entered illegally into the United States. It's a terrible -- it's a -- it's a -- it's a humanitarian crisis what is happening right now.

CHURCH: Ana Maria Salazar, thank you so much for joining us, we appreciate it.

SALAZAR: Thank you. Thank you so much.

[02:40:12]

CHURCH: It was all going great, until it wasn't. Britain's attempt to make space history is a bust. Ahead, what's known about what went wrong?

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CHURCH (voiceover): Stunning scenes out of California, another round of severe weather lashing the state, with strong winds and torrential downpours on Monday, causing major flooding, mudslides, and shutting down roadways. Right now, more than 34 million people across the state are under flood watch with more rain expected Tuesday.

(on camera) Well, the first rocket launch from British soil has failed despite getting off to a good start.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Wheels off the ground. Godspeed Launcher One, Godspeed Cosmic Girl on this historic with the European and U.K. mission onto open space for everyone.

CHURCH (voiceover): According to Virgin Orbit, an anomaly kept its Launcher One Rocket from reaching orbit and becoming the first face launched from British soil. A modified 747 released the launcher at 35,000 feet. It's stage one rockets did the job, but for now, Virgin Orbit says it's evaluating what went wrong. The launcher was unmanned and carrying only satellites. Cosmic Girl and its crew landed safely. The goal was to release nine satellites into Earth's low orbit, which would have marked a milestone in Britain's commercial satellite sector.

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CHURCH (on camera): Well, thanks so much for joining us. I'm Rosemary Church. "WORLD SPORTS" is up next. Then, I'll be back in about 15 minutes with more CNN NEWSROOM. Do stay with us.

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