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Mexican Officials: Two Abducted Americans Found Dead, Two Alive; White House: U.S. "Does Not Seek Conflict" With China, Policy Unchanged; Ukraine: Russians Have Sustained "Significant Loss" In Bakhmut. Aired 2-2:30p ET

Aired March 07, 2023 - 14:00   ET

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

[14:00:00]

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VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, I'm Victor Blackwell. Welcome to CNN NEWSROOM.

BIANNA GOLODRYGA, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Bianna Golodryga.

A tragic discovery in the search for the four Americans who were abducted and Mexico. Officials there now confirming that two of the victims are dead. The other two who are alive are now back on U.S. soil. They were all found at what appears to be a medical clinic in the border town of Matamoros.

One of the two survivors is severely injured. The group went missing last week after traveling to Mexico from South Carolina so that one of them, a mother of six, could undergo a medical procedure. That's according to family members.

BLACKWELL: Authorities say a group of unidentified men shot at the victims' vehicles and then took them away. Investigators believe the Americans were targeted by a Mexican cartel that likely mistook them for Haitian drug smugglers. That's according to a U.S. official.

CNN's Dianne Gallagher is in South Carolina. CNN's Kylie Atwood is monitored to the situation from the State Department. Dianne, let's start with you, and what we're learning about the victims and what happened.

DIANNE GALLAGHER, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Now, Victor, I'm in Lake City, South Carolina, which family says this were three of the four Americans who were abducted grew up here together. They described them as a friend group that is tight-knit. The sister of Zindell Brown, one of those Americans says that they were like glue when they got together. They just stuck.

And look. We're starting to get a better picture from friends and family members of how this journey to Mexico unfolded and how it seemed very normal until it wasn't. They talked about them all renting this minivan and driving down from here in South Carolina to Mexico.

According to a friend of Latavia Washington McGee, who was getting that medical procedure, they rented a hotel in Brownsville, Texas. And she struggled, --the group when they went into Mexico to find the doctor's office. The friend describes the fact that McGee said that they were lost, they were having a hard time communicating with the doctor's office because of spotty and poor cell phone signal.

On Saturday, when this friend had not heard from McGee or any of the others, she became concerned. And she actually reached out to that doctor's office. They confirmed that they had been trying to communicate but McGee never showed up.

Now, McGee's mother also confirmed the doctor was concerned she had never showed up and contacted them. She says that the FBI contacted her on Sunday telling her that her daughter had in fact been kidnapped and that she was in danger. McGee's aunt says that she began looking online for information and found a video where she recognized her niece being kidnapped because of the blonde hair and because of the clothes she was wearing.

Again, this was a friend road trip. They were going to support their friend who was getting a medical procedure. They were live streaming. They were FaceTiming. They were having constant communication with their family until they weren't.

And family members have said that they suddenly couldn't get in touch with them anymore. It was all going to voicemail. It was just ringing until it -- until they couldn't get in touch with them. They became worried. From this point, they began communicating with the FBI.

Again, look. McGee is a mother. She's a mother of six children. And people here in South Carolina are absolutely just they're sad. They're terrified as to -- as to what happened. And in speaking last night, they were holding out hope that it wouldn't end like this, Bianna, Victor.

GOLODRYGA: I know I heard you say earlier today that they viewed it as no news is good news. And obviously, things turn tragic for them. And we're thinking of those six children. Kylie, how is the Biden administration responding?

KYLIE ATWOOD, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Well, listen, it's clearly an all-hands-on-deck effort here. We just heard from the White House press secretary, Karine Jean-Pierre, talking about how DHS is involved, the FBI is involved, DEA is involved. We know of course the State Department and the Justice Department are involved in -- and all of those U.S. government agencies are working their contacts in Mexico, working with their counterparts in Mexico to try and figure out you know exactly what happened here --

BLACKWELL: Ned Price there at the State Department get an update. Let's listen.

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NED PRICE, STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESPERSON: Distance to them and their families.

[14:05:01]

We extend our deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of the deceased. We thank our Mexican and U.S. law enforcement partners for their efforts to find these innocent victims. And the task forward is to ensure that justice is done.

Next. Earlier today, at the launch of the 2023 joint response plan for the Rohingya humanitarian crisis in Bangladesh, the United States announced nearly $26 million in additional -- in additional humanitarian assistance for Rohingya --

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BLACKWELL: (INAUDIBLE) coming in at the tail end of his comment. All right, so we had Ned Price there. The spokesman for the State Department given a few comments about these four Americans, two of whom are dead, one injured, one unharmed. Let's go back to Kylie Atwood at the State Department. I'm sure we'll get more as the questions begin for Ned. But, Kylie, continue.

ATWOOD: Yes. Well, I don't think that we'll hear too much more from the State Department if he didn't include them in the opening remarks. And that's probably because the State Department is still working to get in touch with the family members of those who actually died in this incident. We know, according to Mexican officials that two of the Americans died and two of them are still alive but we still haven't gotten, you know, specific confirmation on that from the U.S. government. It's just because they need to reach out to the families first, and then we'll learn more.

They also haven't given us many details about the circumstances surrounding this. Of course, we have obtained a video that helps tell the story of what happened here. Mexican officials have provided some details and the FBI had provided some details but there are still a lot of remaining questions about how all this went down.

I think it's really important to note that the State Department has warned against U.S. citizens traveling to this area of Mexico for some time now. It has a do not travel advisory. That is specifically because of the criminal activity in the area because of the gangs. Because of the murders that happen. And the CDC has also warned Americans against traveling to this area for medical procedures.

Obviously, we know that tragically, this American who went for a medical -- cosmetic medical procedure didn't actually get it as far as we know on this trip because of this run-in that they had -- you know, this violent run-in with the individuals that they ran into. But it is an area that is known for their being medical tourism if you will. Americans going down there to get cheaper medical procedures and the CDC has warned that there can be a lot of complications that arise even when you do actually get those medical procedures, let alone, you know what the kind of issues you could run into when you're trying to get those.

So, we'll wait to hear more from the State Department in terms of what they're collecting. And the other thing that we'll watch is we've heard from U.S. officials throughout the day talking about justice being served. And we'll watch to see what exactly that look likes -- looks like from the standpoint of the Biden administration.

GOLODRYGA: Now, you'll be following this closely for us, Kylie, do let us know when you hear of any updates. Thank you so much, Kylie Atwood. And our thanks to Dianne Gallagher as well.

Well, we now have new footage of that harrowing incident on a Boston- bound United Airlines flight yesterday. A passenger captured this video of the moment. Francisco Torres charge to the front of the plane stabbing a flight attendant in the neck with a broken spoon. That passenger, Lisa Olsen, tells CNN what happened next.

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LISA OLSEN, RECORDED VIDEO OF A MAN ATTACKING A FLIGHT ATTENDANT: Many men from the plane jumped up, followed him, tackled him to the ground, and there were probably about four to six of them that sat on top of him to restrain him. The flight crew, you know immediately had zip ties to zip tie his feet and his arms. He was still screaming.

And he somehow escaped from the zip ties. They put new ones on him. Once we knew that there were only you know one additional set of zip ties left, people were sending up their belts to help restrain him.

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BLACKWELL: Well, that man was arrested once the plane was on the ground. CNN's Pete Muntean shows us how it all started.

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PETE MUNTEAN, CNN AVIATION CORRESPONDENT (voiceover): The United Airlines flight 2609 from Los Angeles to Boston. It was a smooth flight for the first five hours on Sunday.

FRANCISCO SEVERO TORRES, PASSENGER WHO STABBED A FLIGHT ATTENDANT: So, where's Homeland Security with the gun because I'm waiting for them to point the gun at me so I can show everybody that I will die when I take every bullet in that clip to wherever in my body they shoot it and then I will kill every man on this plane.

MUNTEAN: The agitated passenger is identified as Francisco Severo Torres of Massachusetts. The video obtained by CNN was recorded by a passenger. It shows Torres having violent outbursts towards other passengers and flight attendants.

TORRES: Hey, Bianca. I love you, Bianca. I'm coming for you. I'm coming for you, Bianca.

MUNTEAN: For minutes, nervous passengers sat down and listened.

[14:10:00]

TORRESA: Nobody cares. Nobody cares. Where is Homeland security? There should be Homeland security. Where are they diverting us? Because wherever it is, it's going to be a bloodbath ever. Did you hear that?

MUNTEAN: 15 seconds later, Torres walks out of his seat, pulls what appears to be a makeshift weapon out of his jacket pocket, and said what no airline passenger ever wants to hear.

TORRES: Because I'm taking off this plane.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right now. I'm telling you right now.

MUNTEAN: While the United Airlines says there were no reported injuries, the Justice Department says Torres rush towards one of the flight attendants in a stabbing motion with a broken metal spoon hitting the flight attendant on the neck area three times. Torres also told law enforcement that he tried to open the emergency door to jump out of the plane. Torres also claimed he was defending himself because he believed the flight crew was trying to kill him.

The video shows passengers and crew members tackling and restraining Torres. A passenger told CNN Torres remained restrained for another 30 minutes before the plane landed safely at Boston Logan International Airport where Torres was arrested.

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MUNTEAN: This is the second high-profile case of an unruly passenger on a commercial airliner in as many weeks. Torres is now banned from flying on United Airlines. He's being detained right now pending a hearing before a judge on Thursday, Victor and Bianna.

GOLODRYGA: Things could have turned out so much worse for those passengers on that flight, and a --

BLACKWELL: Yes. Glad someone jumped up to help.

GOLODRYGA: Yes, multiple people did.

Well, for the first time in more than 20 years, the federal government is suing to block a U.S. airline merger. The Department of Justice announced this morning that it wants to stop JetBlue's proposed $3.8 billion deal to buy Spirit Airlines.

BLACKWELL: Attorney General Merrick Garland said the merger would significantly harm consumers by causing higher fares and fewer choices for customers.

GOLODRYGA: Fed Chair Jerome Powell says interest rates will rise more than people realize. And that the process of getting inflation under control is likely to be bumpy. Ahead, what this all means for you?

BLACKWELL: And a stern fresh warning to the U.S. from China. Beijing's foreign minister says conflict and confrontation are inevitable if Washington does not change course. How the White House is responding? That's next.

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BLACKWELL: The White House said today the U.S. does not seek conflict with China and there is no change in U.S. policy toward Beijing. The reassurance followed combative public comments by Chinese President Xi Jinping and his new foreign minister warning of potential conflict and confrontation.

GOLODRYGA: Xi accused the U.S. and its allies of suppressing China's economic development. Now, hours later, China's ambassador to the U.S. turned Foreign Minister also lashed out. CNN's Selina Wang is in Beijing with details.

SELINA WANG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Victor, Bianna, Chinese new foreign minister said conflict with the U.S. is inevitable if Washington does not change course, wording there could be catastrophic consequences. This was Qin Gang's first press conference as China's Foreign Minister. Up until recently, he was China's ambassador to the U.S. He has a reputation for being a careful and accomplished diplomat, so it's significant that he struck this much more combative tone in his first appearance in this role.

We heard him make this argument that Beijing has been making for a long time, which is that the U.S. is trying to contain China and suppress its rise. He also lashed out at the U.S.'s Indo-Pacific strategy, accusing the U.S. of plotting an Asia-Pacific version of NATO. He defended China's partnership with Russia as imperative and said China has not supplied weapons to Russia or Ukraine. He accused the U.S. of creating a crisis over Taiwan.

This was a fiery press conference and it sets the tone for China's foreign policy for years to come. And chose there is not going to be an off-ramp to U.S.-China tensions anytime soon. Now, this press conference is part of China's biggest annual political gathering, known as the two sessions. It's the first one held since China abandoned its zero-COVID policy.

But the media, reporters like myself covering this event, were stuck in a COVID bubble. To attend a session today, I have to stay overnight at a quarantined hotel, get an on-site PCR test. Everything was highly controlled.

The restrictions were surprising considering China has already completely opened up from COVID. The question is where these COVID controls or just an excuse to restrict press access? What is clear is that the communist leadership only wants the world to see one narrative from China and that's one of unity, strength, and victory. Victor, Bianna.

BLACKWELL: Selina Wang for us, thank you so much. Max Baucus served as U.S. Ambassador to China in the Obama Administration, also a former U.S. Senator. Mr. Ambassador, good to have you.

MAX BAUCUS, FORMER U.S. AMBASSADOR TO CHINA: Hi there.

BLACKWELL: You've said your approach to China is to be patient positive and persistent. When you hear these comments from XI, from Qin, are you as optimistic that this relationship can go in the -- in the right direction? What do you make of what you hear from the foreign minister?

BAUCUS: I was not terribly surprised. He is very close to President Xi. In fact, he became a U.S. ambassador -- or Chinese ambassador to the U.S. and also a Chinese foreign minister because he's close to President Xi. He worked for President Xi.

But nevertheless, I think we have to listen to what he said and not dismiss it. The Chinese are beginning to believe that they -- that they can no longer deal with the U.S. They look at U.S. actions whether it's administration at or in Congress on Taiwan. And they say, gee, you know, America, professors, I want China policy, but it's not following it by saying somebody arms and visits over at Taiwan. Same time, we're quite concerned with China because they're not helping us in Ukraine.

The main point I'm trying to make here is that we are heading, if not tried to conflict, something close to it. There is no meaningful communication between our two countries, none whatsoever in any meaningful way. And when that happens, we tend to assume the worst about the other. Americans are assuming that China wants to you know be the world hegemony or control much of the world. U.S. and Chinese think that they're -- the United States wants to be the world hegemony, want the whole world controlled by the U.S.

[14:20:05]

The fact of the matter is they're -- China and the United States are two very big, large, powerful proud countries. We have to work together. We have to learn to live with each other better. And we're not doing that. There's no communication. We call ourselves names, both sides. And I -- frankly, I don't think it's going to get much better until after maybe the 24 presidential elections.

GOLODRYGA: You know, Mr. Ambassador, it's interesting because separately, President Biden and President Xi have a cordial relationship but we are seeing this heated rhetoric coming from a bipartisan Congress right now. And we're also hearing publicly over the past year for military officials who are publicly saying that they believe that conflict between China and Taiwan is almost inevitable. It could come in the next couple of years. Is that helpful to be hearing these words publicly at this point, to your point about sort of trying to tone down the rhetoric?

BAUCUS: I think it's not helpful. I'm surprised there's not more discipline by U.S. military commanders in the statements that they make. If they believe that, that should be internal. U.S. policy, a decision, or a recommendation should not be stated publicly.

The more we call each other names, the more we use rhetoric that accuses the other of its actions, the more it's going to happen. I just think we're not yet at the point in the U.S. It's going to happen, eventually, and not just in the U.S. but also in China.

We finally have to realize, hey, neither country's going away. We got to live with each other in some way. Neither country wants war. China does not want war.

The U.S. does not want war. But we have to figure out better ways to live with each other, understanding that there were two separate systems. We have our democratic system. We're very proud of our values, constitution, and Declaration of Independence.

China's equally proud. They're much older countries that we, thousands of years old, they're very proud in their population is four times the size of ours. So, it just -- we got to figure out a way to respect each other and begin to work with each other and not try to control the other.

BLACKWELL: Ambassador, I heard you and your answer to my first question about saying you said that this is not going to change until after the 2024 presidential election. Am I to interpret that that you say that there's something specific, something inherent about the Biden administration that makes this worse, that there needs to be another voice from the U.S.? I'm pulling that thread of why you think this will change after 2024.

BAUCUS: Well, no. I think whoever is president today, whether it's Joe Biden, or whomever it might be, it's going to be pretty tough on China because President Biden wants to be reelected, probably. And he has to be very tough on China. He does not want to be perceived as soft on China. So, I don't blame Joe Biden at all.

It's domestic politics in the U.S. which causes us politicians to be very anti-China. But I do think that after the 24 Election, we'll see a U.S. president. Joe Biden might get reelected, someone else by the president, that's an opportunity for our administration is going to look toward a reset to see gee, what should we be doing? And my hunch is that by then, it'd be worse than it is today, so let's get a realization that, hey, we've been started doing something but differently.

GOLODRYGA: Yes. This is one of the few areas where you're seeing bipartisan agreement, and it's not necessarily on toning things down. It's a hawkish view towards China as of late.

BAUCUS: You're right.

GOLODRYGA: Former Ambassador Max Baucus, thank you.

BAUCUS: You bet.

GOLODRYGA: Well, Ukraine's military says Russian forces trying to capture the eastern city of Bakhmut have suffered significant losses in the past 24 hours. The fighting has had a heavy toll on Ukrainian forces as well. Given that, the U.S. Defense Secretary, Lloyd Austin, even suggested that continuing to fight for control over the city may not be in Ukraine's strategic longer-term interest. Today, President Zelenskyy making clear to CNN's Wolf Blitzer in an exclusive interview that the fight for Bakhmut continues and Ukrainian forces are not leaving.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE: (Speaking in a foreign language)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is tactical for us. We understand that after Bakhmut, they could go further. They could go to Kramatorsk, to Slovyansk. It will be an open road for the Russians after Bakhmut to other towns in Ukraine in the Donetsk direction in the east of Ukraine. That's why our guys are standing there.

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GOLODRYGA: Yaroslav Trofimov is the Chief foreign affairs correspondent at The Wall Street Journal and joins us now. Yaroslav, thank you so much for joining us. I know you were on the front lines there reporting the fighting there in Bakhmut. How sustainable is the current level of battle?

YAROSLAV TROFIMOV, CHIEF FOREIGN AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT, THE WALL STREET JOURNAL: Well, thank you. Great to be on the show. It's a very, very tough battle there. You have several Ukrainian brigades inside the city of Bakhmut. You have the forces of Wagner, the Russian paramilitary organization trying to circle the city.

[14:25:05]

And by now, there are no paved roads that are passable for Ukrainian forces. So, they have to use the dirt tracks. That it is basically mud right now, so vehicles get stuck, they get shelled. And so, it's getting harder and harder every day to supply the Ukrainian defenders of Bakhmut.

GOLODRYGA: So, given that, what do you make of these conflicting views militarily? You have the Pentagon saying that this would not be a strategic -- for strategic loss for Ukraine if they retreated. And there you heard from President Zelenskyy saying that it would be. It is of tactical significance for Ukraine to remain and for reinforcements to come in because he says, if Russians get hold of Bakhmut, they could get on to Kramatorsk and Slovyansk. What do you make of the differences here, and does Ukraine have the resources needed to continue this fight?

TROFIMOV: Well, Ukraine, that's going to be the resources. The question is, does it want to use its resources for Bakhmut? Because Ukraine is preparing for spring defensive --

GOLODRYGA: Yes.

TROFIMOV: -- to retake about 18 percent of Ukraine that is a claim by Russia, especially areas along the coast of the Azov Sea to break this land bridge to Crimea. Those are far more important areas strategically. And so, the equations are the exchange imposed by Russia is that Wagner is throwing mostly conduct prisoner -- conduct recruits, people that has taken from Russian prison camps, murderers and rapists, and robbers.

And Ukraine has supplied them with its best military units that are getting ground up in Bakhmut over the last eight months fighting for that small city. And then -- the question is whether it will deprive Ukraine of disability to launch a spring offensive when the ground dries up? And it becomes possible in a month or two.

GOLODRYGA: Yes. You brought up the Wagner group. And it's interesting because the Ukrainian side is sort of suggesting the opposite that they view this as a weak moment for the Wagner group given that there's tension -- increased tension between its leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, and the defense minister. And even the Kremlin at this point, they are running out of convicts to throw into battle there and recruits, so many Ukrainians are viewing this as a point to even weaken them more so that they don't have to continue fighting with Wagner in the future times. What do you make of that?

TROFIMOV: Well, it's a gamble. And Prigozhin yesterday, kind of showed his fears. He said that as we are encircling Bakhmut, the Ukrainians could encircle us. And so, he called on Russia military to protect his flanks and give him more ammunition. So, it remains to be seen if the Ukrainian military actually able to execute such a maneuver and wants to do it at the cost of perhaps undermining its ability to advance elsewhere. But it's a very deadly battle. And you know, both sides are incurring very heavy casualties every day there.

GOLODRYGA: Yes. You mentioned this spring offensive that's highly anticipated from the Ukrainians. The longer that Ukraine spends time and energy and resources, both in terms of troops and ammunition, does that threaten the offensive that they're planning in the weeks ahead possibly in the South?

TROFIMOV: Well, that's what we -- that is exactly what I heard from speaking to military commanders on the ground, you know, on the battalion and company level in -- on the Bakhmut front. A lot of them are saying that maybe Ukraine should have not been trying to hold on to Bakhmut for this long and instead should have kept its eyes on a really big prize, which is gained -- you're gaining access to the south, you're gaining access to the Azov Sea and coming to the doorstep of Crimea.

GOLODRYGA: Well, it doesn't look like that's where President Zelenskyy is viewing this war right now. He's not leaving Bakhmut anytime soon, given his comments to Wolf Blitzer. Yaroslav Trofimov, thank you so much.

TROFIMOV: Thank you.

GOLODRYGA: And be sure to tune in tomorrow to see more of Wolf Blitzer's exclusive interview with Ukrainian president Zelenskyy. It airs tomorrow night at 9:00 p.m.

BLACKWELL: Lawmakers in Mississippi are considering a controversial bill that would create an unelected and instead state-appointed court system for the capital city of Jackson. Ahead, why critics are comparing it to apartheid and Jim Crow for the predominantly black city?

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