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Connect the World
Brazil Has Nearly 375,000 Cases, Second-Most In World; United States COVID-19 Death Toll Inches Closer To 100,000; Media Mogul Jimmy Lai Becomes Thorn In Beijing's Side; Secretary of State Mike Pompeo: Proposed Law Is "Death Knell" For Hong Kong's Autonomy; New Studies Show How COVID-19 Travels. Aired 11a-12p ET
Aired May 26, 2020 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[11:00:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ISA SOARES, CNN HOST, CONNECT THE WORLD: Hello and a very warm welcome to CNN's continuing coverage of the Coronavirus pandemic. I'm Isa Soares
coming to you live from London. This hour on the show, a U.S. travel ban on Brazil was brought forward by two days as the death toll in South American
country continues to rise. We'll take you to Sao Paulo.
And unlike Brazil, Peru took strict Coronavirus measures, so why has it become one of the hardest countries being hit? We'll take a look. And I
speak to a Former Governor of Hong Kong after more protests engulf the city over the weekend.
I want to start this hour in Brazil, growing crisis there a country that is fast becoming an epicenter for Coronavirus. Just in the past day, Brazil
reported more than 11,000 new cases, not as high as what we have seen in previous days. Nevertheless, it is continuing to rise, it is nearly 375,000
total new cases now the second most after - in the world after the United States.
Now, a U.S. ban on Brazil on travel from Brazil, pardon me, will start later tonight. That's moved up two days from when it was first announced
over the weekend. But Brazil's President appears it seems undeterred. Over the weekend Jair Bolsonaro mingled with crowds in Brasilia as you see
there, sometimes without a mask.
When the last hour of the program right here on CNN I talked to the Sao Paulo Governor Joao Doria who imposed a statewide quarantine and he says
the President is making a bad situation even worse take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOAO DORIA, SAO PAULO GOVERNOR: Everything is more difficult to us when we suggest we oriented people to stay home, to use masks, to respect the
medicine, not use Chloroquine as a solution for the Coronavirus. The President of Brazil used the opposite message to the people. So becomes
very difficult to us. In fact, we have to date two viruses to combat in Brazil the Coronavirus and Bolsonaro virus.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: Let's get more on this. Shasta Darlington joins me from Sao Paulo. And Shasta you know Joao Doria the Governor there is not the only one to
have really stinging criticism of Jair Bolsonaro yet Jair Bolsonaro continues as we saw there over the weekend going to these rallies without
masks.
So let's talk about the travel ban and how damaging potentially this is for Bolsonaro's credibility at home?
SHASTA DARLINGTON, CNN REPORTER: Well, Isa definitely is more a question of image. As you mentioned the travel ban was announced, it was supposed to be
imposed two days from now on foreigners who have been to Brazil. They have moved it up.
There's no official explanation for this but the understanding is that people were trying to move up their trips, people who wanted to get to the
United States, whether Brazilians or other foreigners were suddenly scrambling to get there and the understanding of why it was moved up again
there is no official explanation.
And obviously this looks bad for Brazil. The fact is Brazil actually shut its borders to foreigners back in March but there have still been weekly
flights to the United States and to other regions. And this really sort of shines a spotlight on all of the problems here in the sense that things are
spinning out of control, that Governors and Mayors are running out of options as the intensive care beds fill up.
They implemented social isolation measures but they're up against a President who is sending that exact opposite message as you mentioned. So
they stay home and the President says Brazilians need to get back to work or they'll starve to death which means these numbers continue to climb.
We saw today a well-respected health institute that has been cited by the White House is now projecting COVID-19 deaths in Brazil at over 125,000 by
early August and continuing to climb. So health experts see that this contradiction really is having an impact on the numbers here.
We'll see how this plays out in coming days. We are coming off of a weekend when the numbers do drop and I expect today there'll be another spike, Isa.
SOARES: Yes. What Joao Doria mentioned to me, Shasta, is exactly the point you're making is that his actions and other Governors' actions and federal
level being undermined by the words and by the actions of their own President Jair Bolsonaro.
Let's talk about the numbers of deaths because it is staggering. 23,000. But we're still not at the peak. We are probably about a week or so or two
weeks away from the peak and there are fears like you said that number could be much higher.
In cities like Sao Paulo that has a financial means to cope with the numbers unlike Manaus where we have seen. What does it like across Brazil
in terms of ICU and health care capacity?
DARLINGTON: Isa, it is really uneven.
[11:05:00]
DARLINGTON: I think in some ways you saw wealthy cities like Sao Paulo and bigger cities even Rio although they have more financial problems, they did
declare quarantines fairly early on in March and they were respected initially and that gave the health systems and the officials time to get
ready.
Three or four field hospitals have been built here in Sao Paulo the same in Rio. And really gave them time to bring in the ventilators, to hire more
health professionals. The problem is whereas residents were staying home in that period, they thought it was going to be a short quarantine. We're
seeing people heading back out.
Stores that were closed are reopening. Less than half of the population here in Sao Paulo was staying home last week. So we do expect there to be
another peak in those numbers and while Sao Paulo has sort of gotten things under control the areas in the north and northeast that don't have the
financial resources are already at full capacity and this isn't showing any sign of slowing down, Isa.
SOARES: Shasta Darlington for us there in Sao Paulo, thank you very much. Good to see you. Now I want to take you to Peru, because meantime
Coronavirus cases are also rising in neighboring Peru. The Health Ministry there says the number of cases have jumped to nearly 124,000 with 3,700
deaths. Peru was one of the first countries to close its borders and put lockdown measures in place now there is concern the country has spiraled
into a health catastrophe.
Our Rafael Romo is covering the story from Atlanta for. He joins us now. So Rafael explain to us how we got here because the President closed borders
early, lockdown measures were put in place testing was also taking place so what went wrong?
RAFAEL ROMO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, that's a very good point Isa. It was one of the first countries in Latin America to essentially go on lockdown.
The government mandated, you mentioned some of them stay-at-home orders, there were curfews, border closings and yet the number of confirmed cases
in the country of 32 million is well above 120,000.
Health experts say inequality has forced the board to venture outside their homes for work, for food even banking transactions. And Isa they crowded
super markets and banks increasing the risk of transmission.
Field hospitals had become a necessity. Inside public clinics, the situation has turned chaotic. This video obtained by CNN shows the
government medical center in Lima, Peru's capital with dozens of patients waiting for care in wheelchairs because there are no beds available.
The leader of Peru's Main Medical Association describes the Coronavirus pandemic in the South American country as a health catastrophe. Peru's
health system, the doctor says, is already overwhelmed by the pandemic.
The country of 32 million on South America's Pacific Coast has a Coronavirus mortality rate of around 10 per 100,000 people. It's just as
bad as Brazil. It's much larger neighbor to the east with nearly seven times the population of Peru and the world's second highest number of
COVID-19 cases.
The health system is so overwhelmed the doctors say they must make hard decisions since there aren't enough beds available, some say critical
health care is prioritized for those with better survival chances.
This doctor, President of Peru's Intensive Care Medical Association says, it's not about discriminating against the elderly but he admits there's a
point system based on each patient's outlook. The President Martin Vizcarra has stayed away from the controversy choosing instead to take action
including forming a COVID-19 Task Force.
The Task Force Chief and Former Health Minister says it's neither the health ministry nor the task force policy's to dictate whether patients get
access to medical care based on age and they say based on the age.
She also says prioritizing healthcare base on the patient's outlook is not yet happening although she doesn't rule out it may be necessary in the
future. Those on the front lines have no time for disagreements. Teams of nurses and doctors are traveling to the hardest hit areas along with Lima
the capital, the jungle region in the north have become Peru's new COVID-19 epicenter.
It's a dangerous mission. According to Peru's Medical Association, more than 30 doctors have died so far fighting the virus. Health professionals
the group is now paying homage at its headquarters in Lima.
And the President Martin Vizcarra has extended the State of Emergency until June 30th. Isa, Peru has the second highest number of confirmed COVID-19
cases in Latin America behind the country you were just talking about before with Shasta Darlington, Brazil.
[11:10:00]
ROMO: But we have to mention that Brazil has seven times the population of Peru. Now back to you.
SOARES: Thank you very much, Rafael, for putting it into perspective there Rafael Romo. I want to take you to Mexico where thousands more deaths than
usual are painting really a grim picture than official Coronavirus statistics.
A new study shows that Mexico City reported 8,000 more deaths for the first time - first five months in fact of the year that compared to the same time
over the past four years. Mexico City has reported only 1,600 deaths from the virus that health official fear that actual numbers are much higher.
Want to bring the story for us is our Matt Rivers he is joining us live from Mexico City. I'm guessing from what I'm hearing from also Peru but
also from Brazil, Matt, a lot of this got to do with the question of low testing?
MATT RIVERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. Just look at the number of tests Isa that the government says here in Mexico have been conducted overall. It is
just over 225,000 tests. That is an extremely low number.
It is good enough for one of the lowest testing rates in the entire world and so that's why when we're looking at the number of confirmed cases which
sits just north of 71,000, when you're looking at the overall death toll in the country, confirmed just over 7,000 at this point, the actual numbers
are higher than that.
There's no question about that, Isa that these numbers do not give us the total look into what is happening throughout the rest of this country? And
health officials including the man Doctor Hugo Lopez-Gatell who's running the COVID-19 response here he has told me himself personally that he
believes the number of cases actually throughout the entire country could well be into the millions and the actual death toll could be double if not
higher the reported figure.
Government officials are saying that but it all has to do with testing. Mexico's government would say that they're actually doing a low amount of
testing on purpose. They think it's more efficient strategy that they can look at a smaller sample of tests and extrapolate data from that set which
would then give them a better idea as to what's happening with this outbreak in the entire country?
But critics say that approach gives them an incomplete picture at best as to exactly what is going on here in Mexico?
SOARES: And in the meantime, we're hearing the President Lopez Obrador who has previously and correct me if I'm wrong claimed to have tamed I think
his words Coronavirus. He seems to be pushing ahead with plans to open the economy. I'm guessing this is done in stages, right?
RIVERS: Yes, absolutely. It's done in stages. It is a slow reopening as the government describes it sector by sector city by city even municipality by
municipality starting June 1st mainly is when some things are going to start to be reopened here.
And look, make no mistake about it the Mexican government just like so many other governments around the world is trying to walk a fine line with
mitigating the massive financial losses that the economy here is taking while also making sure that they keep people relatively safe by slowly
reopening the economy.
Of course critics are going to say it's too early. We are in the worst days of this outbreak in Mexico. By far there is no question about that and at
this time next week we will see the economy start to reopen.
And there is, of course, the fear that we can see another spike in cases here in Mexico City. Only time will tell. The government says it can do so,
reopen the economy relatively safely Isa but there are going to be a lot of critics and people who are scared that they're going to reopen sooner than
they should.
SOARES: Critics but we also we heard in the last three or four hours Matt W.H.O., the World Health Organization, warning against complacency, warning
about the fear of a second peak. So, of course, this is only natural that the critics have their say on this situation like this. Matt Rivers for us
in Mexico City, thank you very much matt.
Now Latin America's largest airline Latam is seeking chapter 11 bankruptcy protections in the United States. They carrier cited Coronavirus travel
restrictions as the main reason for the filing. The company says employee pay and reservations will not be affected. Latam is the second airline in
the region to file for bankruptcy this month.
And the World Health Organization is putting a hold on its Hydroxychloroquine study after a published report found critically ill
patients more likely to die when given the drug. W.H.O. also gave a dire warning to countries reopening too early, what I was mentioning to Matt
there saying a second peak is possible because the virus cases could jump up at any time and it would dangerous to assume the next surge is several
months away. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. MARIA VAN KERKHOVE, W.H.O. HEALTH EMERGENCIES PROGRAMME: All countries need to remain on high alert here. All countries need to be ready to
rapidly detect cases.
[11:15:00]
DR. KERKHOVE: Even countries that have seen a decline in cases must remain ready.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: Let's bring in our Senior Medical Correspondent Elizabeth Cohen. Let's start off with the trials being halted by the W.H.O. because of its
anti-malarial drug Hydroxychloroquine. This is a big line given considering how much W.H.O. had money put behind this. They're halting it because of
concerns over its safety. Is that right?
ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Isa that's right. This is highly unusual and it is highly unusual to start a trial like this and
then suspend it because of safety concerns. Let's take a listen to the Director-General of the W.H.O.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. TEDROS ADHANOM GHEBREYESUS, DIRECTOR-GENERAL, WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION: The executive group has implemented a temporary pause of the
Hydroxychloroquine arm within the solidarity trial while the data, the safety data, is reviewed by the data safety monitoring board.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COHEN: As you mentioned, Isa, W.H.O. had a lot invested in this and it was originally months back a lot of hope that Hydroxychloroquine or Chloroquine
might be able to help but as you noted in that large study that came out this past Friday tens of thousands of patients not only didn't it help but
actually hurt patients, they had a higher risk of dying taking the drug. Isa?
SOARES: Elizabeth, let's talk about the other warning from the W.H.O., basically saying, warning countries not to be complacent. That the peak may
not be in September, November it actually could be earlier. Why do you think they have to issue this warning now?
COHEN: I think they might have issued it because people have some misconceptions about how this all might end up happening? I think people
even if they don't realize it might think of this as kind of like the flu. We all know that the flu ramps up November, December, January sort of
usually hits a peak January, February-ish and then goes down.
January, February, March, April. You can think of it like a mountain. Sort of an upside down "V" and that's not the model we should all have in our
heads. What we're seeing is obviously there are peaks, it kind of goes up and down but it can go right back up again. You don't have to wait until
the next season.
It can go up and then down and then up and then down and a lot this is dependent on how successful we're in social distancing. If you are
effective at social distancing and we have seen this around the world now in China in Europe and the United States, the numbers go down.
When people get back together the numbers can go back up again. So the trick is to try to extinguish it as much as you possibly can before
bringing people back together. So we need to get out of our heads this concept of, oh, the weather is warming and things are going to better and
maybe we'll have a second peak in the fall we could keep having sort of peak after peak after peak.
SOARES: So from what I understand, Elizabeth, and I'm not an expert, it's basically you see a little peak, we're not talking about another peak in
October, November what we're seeing is there a peak there right and then potentially another one.
So it is following the high curve a small peak within that and I think that's important for people to understand that because myself as a parent,
you know, you understand, we understand that perhaps as you get to colder temperatures, as my kids start getting viruses and colds and flu that that
would be the second peak but in fact a peak could come at any time correct, Elizabeth?
COHEN: That's right. A peak could come at any time. This is not like the flu which we see basically I mean not 100 percent but basically kind of
goes undercover, almost disappears during the warmer months. That's not what we're seeing there is plenty of Coronavirus around in some very warm
places.
So people should not be thinking, oh, we socially distance for a couple months. The numbers came down. We are good. We can go back to our normal
life. If that happens we could also go back to the numbers that we had previously. So that's what people need to remember. It is not over,
unfortunately, until it's truly over which is probably not until we get a vaccine.
SOARES: Yes. Elizabeth Cohen thank you so much for explaining that really important. Elizabeth Cohen there for us in Atlanta.
COHEN: Thanks.
SOARES: And still ahead this hour, the U.S. COVID-19 death toll is inching towards unfortunately a very grim milestone, 100,000. But President Donald
Trump has remained silent on the staggering numbers. We'll have more on that next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:20:00]
SOARES: Now a staggering milestone is looming over the United States the country's COVID-19 death toll is expected to reach a 100,000 in the coming
days. 100,000 lives lost in less than three months and if we put that into perspective for you that's more than the number of U.S. troops killed in
both the Korean as well as the Vietnam wars combined.
Meanwhile the U. S. President has remained largely silent on the lives lost to COVID-19. Let's bring in CNN's Joe Johns live from Washington. Instead
he seems to be taking aim at his Democratic Presidential rival Joe Biden. What is he saying what's he tweeting this time?
JOE JOHNS, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: The President has been on a steady diet of attacking Joe Biden it is not surprising whenever there is a
particularly bad story for this White House this administration the President will try to distract but it's not just that this is an election
year.
And November Election is fast approaching the President understands Joe Biden is the likely presumptive nominee therefore Joe Biden is frankly a
target. And the President will do that with the new window distortions distractions what have you an example of that over just the last 24 hours
now the President has attacked Joe Biden and the Obama Administration in general for their handling of the swine flu pandemic which was eleven years
ago here in this country.
And we lost something like about 14,000 people or so. The President suggesting that, that administration's handling of that pandemic was really
flawed when in fact the number of deaths here in the United States is exponentially larger than what we've frankly seen you know 11 years ago in
the swine flu pandemic. President also re tweeted a picture of Joe Biden in face covering with his wife during the Memorial Day remembrance is just
yesterday.
And that really sort of contrast the President's own not wearing a face covering and shows us a little bit about the divide in this country even
though it's quite clear that more Americans believe is necessary to wear a mask. And have in fact worn a mask than those who have not President also
has attacked Biden for his positions on China.
So it's what you might expect number one to distract the public from the fact that we're approaching that 100,000 death milestone but also pointing
up the fact that this is an Election Year and the President is going to use all the tools at his disposal to go after the presumptive nominee Isa.
SOARES: And it's quite a contrast scene that image divide between President Trump and Joe Biden wearing a mask and President Trump not wearing one of
course that image says a lot. Joe Johns thank you very much.
Now the city of New Rochelle, New York was an early cluster remember of Coronavirus cases back in March this is in today it's starting to reopen
thanks to strict safety measures.
[11:25:00]
SOARES: However people in other areas of the country are not so careful. Bryn Gingras takes a look for you.
BRYN GINGRAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: New Rochelle, New York was the state's first Coronavirus epicenter and this morning as part of two regions
schedule to begin re opening this week. Governor Andrew Cuomo reminding New Yorkers it's important to stay smart.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. ANDREW CUOMO: The number goes down until you go out and don't do the PPE and don't do the mask and then the number will go up. And who's going
to determine what happens to the number the person in the mirror?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GINGRAS: At least 17 states are seeing an uptake in Coronavirus cases over the past week including Arkansas where some enjoyed the weather without
taking safety precautions.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: See I'm not the only person you see no mask here, you see no fear.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GINGRAS: The Governor urging people to be more responsible.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ASA HUTCHINSON, ARKANSAS GOVERNOR: When you wear a mask you're expressing your concern of someone else. So we're trying to set the right example
continue to do that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GINGRAS: Cases are also increasing in Alabama were crowded beaches last week and concerned local leaders like the Mayor of Montgomery who earlier
warned his city is critically low on ICU beds.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
STEVEN REED, MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA MAYOR: It gives me pause to think about what we may see the next week or two when people get back to their
communities are from vacation down the Gulf Coast is problematic for me that people are cavalier about their behavior.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GINGRAS: Chilly weather keeping crowds light at some north eastern beaches at Delaware's Rehoboth Beach face coverings are mandatory on the boardwalk
and encouraged on its shores.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN CARNEY, DELAWARE GOVERNOR: I was very impressed with what I saw and I feel very much more comfortable about rolling into the first of June.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GINGRAS: But if this New Jersey Beach most people who walk the boardwalk did so without covering their faces. Officials in St. Louis asking people
who attended events like this pool party in the Ozarks to self quarantine for 14 days.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SAM PAGE, ST. LOUIS COUNTY EXECUTIVE: The risk of contracting COVID-19 has exponentially increased.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GINGRAS: Take a look at this crowd in Texas all revert to being in close proximity.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If I get - right.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GINGRAS: And this social media video from Houston showing a pool party at a club with a very few masks in sight. Houston's Mayor says police will begin
enforcing capacity limits after hundreds of social distancing complaints over the holiday weekend.
(BGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SYLVESTER TURNER, HOUSTON, TEXAS, MAYOR: We have to pump the brakes people lost their son while pretending as though this virus no longer exits and
quite frankly it's not only endangering themselves and those who are at these guidelines but they're endangering everybody else when they leave
these gatherings.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: That was Bryn Gingras reporting there. Ahead on the show Hong Kong's last British Governor speaks with CNN. Chris Patten is calling on to
stand up for territories or - and freedom so I will bring you that live interview. Plus everyone who wants to test gets a test. Denmark is
delivering on that promise the COVID-19 testing will bring those stories next. You're watching "Connect the World".
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:30:00]
SOARES: Hong Kong's Chief Executive once again has been trying to assure the city its freedoms will be protected, that's after the Chinese Communist
Party proposed a new law which critics say will strip the territory of its autonomy. Protests broke out over the weekend if you remember the first
major demonstrations since COVID-19 pandemic began. The new law would effectively make protests against the government illegal. Carrie Lam sang a
familiar tune a few hours ago. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CARRIE LAM, HONG KONG CHIEF EXECUTIVE: The assurances are very clearly laid out in the draft decision as well as the explanation given by the National
People's Congress Leader. There is no need for us to worry because time and again in the last 23 years whenever people worried about Hong Kong's
freedoms of speech and freedoms of expression and protests time and again Hong Kong has proven that we uphold and preserve those values.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: According to Hong Kong Media and pro-democracy activist Jimmy Lai U.S. President Donald Trump is the territory's last hope. "Reuters" reports
according to multiple sources the growing consensus among its advisers that U.S. should get tougher with the Chinese Communist Party. Anna Cronin sat
down with Jimmy Lai for more.
ANNA CRONIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Traitor, national scum selling out his country and the conscience. This is how China describes Hong Kong's most
famous video mogul. Jimmy Lai has been a thorn in the side of the China's Communist party for decades fighting for his city's freedoms. But now
Beijing has the 72-year-old firmly in its sights.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JIMMY LAI, HONG KONG MEDIA MOGUL: With a dictatorship, freedom is not free. And this is a price we have to be ready for.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CRONIN: Last month, he was one of 15 activists to be arrested along with a founding father of Hong Kong's Democracy, 81-year-old Martin Link. Lai once
the - newspaper was charged with organizing and participating in an illegal assembly last August and intimidating a pro-Beijing reporter back in 2017.
Rights groups call the arrest an attempt to silence the pro-democracy movement. While he can't discuss the charges, this tycoon says he won't be
scared or intimidated by the CCP and nor should Hong Kong protesters. Despite the China's plans for a controversial national security law it says
it needed for its sovereignty and to fight what it calls terrorism.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LAI: I can have fear. If I do I fear the consequences of whatever I do.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CRONIN: On Sunday thousands of protesters poured on to the street, the first real demonstration of 2020 since COVID-19. Voicing the opposition to
these proposed legislation, banning treason, secession, sedition and subversion ultimately criminalizing the protests that roiled Hong Kong
since June last year.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CRONIN: What have you been arrested for?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Assembly.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CRONIN: While demonstrations were smaller than expected, police showed zero tolerance arresting more than 180 people, mostly for unlawful assembly.
Having just set up his Twitter account on the weekend, Mr. Lai appealed to Hong Kongers tweeting it's time to sacrifice.
Are we prepared to sacrifice blood and tears for the future freedom? I am. As one of the most prominent members of Hong Kong's pro-democracy movement
Jimmy Lai has always had a target on his back. His arrest last month proof of that.
But under China's new security law he believes his media organization, the city's most vocal opposition newspaper, will be shut down. And he could
very well be spending his future behind bars. With Hong Kong now at risk of losing the freedom, autonomy and rule of law, Mr. Lai issued an S.O.S. to
the U.S. President printing this letter on the front page of his newspaper.
Despite America's strained relationship with China, in the midst of COVID- 19 and the tenuous trade deal Mr. Lai believes the CCP will listen to Mr. Donald Trump.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LAI: Mr. President, you're the only one who can save us. If you save us, and stops China, you also save the world.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[11:35:00]
CRONIN: He knows it's a long shot but one he's willing to take for his life's crusade and despite having British citizenship Jimmy Lai says he
isn't going anywhere.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LAI: I would not leave because I'm one of the troublemakers. I can't make trouble and then go away. All my life is a waste if I do that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CRONIN: Anna Cronin, CNN, Hong Kong.
SOARES: Fascinating piece there from Anna Cronin. Well, joining me now is Hong Kong's last British Governor he oversaw the territory from 1992 until
its handover to China in 1997. Chris Patten, thank you very much sir for joining us here on the show.
I want to begin if I can with the protests that we saw over the weekend we're expecting further demonstrations tomorrow. And at the same time, we
are hearing from China that its military is ready and able to, "Safeguard Chinese Sovereignty in Hong Kong". When you look at this picture, what
troubles you?
CHRIS PATTEN, FORMER GOVERNOR OF HONG KONG: Well, there are a lot of things that trouble me. First of all, China which has broken its word or rather
the Communist Party of China which has broken its word about so many international agreements is driving a coach and horse through the
international agreement that it reached with Britain.
A treaty lodged with the United Nations to safeguard Hong Kong's high degree of autonomy, its rule of law and its freedom for 50 years after 1997
and it is simply tearing that agreement up. Secondly, why is China doing it now? Why is Xi Jinping doing it now?
Because the Chinese government today, the Chinese Communist Party is terrified that what it's promised the people in Hong Kong, the rule of law
and freedom, and it particularly worried that if it allow the legislative council elections to take place as they're supposed to do in September
there will be a democratic majority which will make it then they think very difficult to introduce the sort of appalling legislation that they're
contemplating.
When the Carrie Lam, who is the spokesperson for the communist government in Hong Kong, when she says and nobody is got need to worry about fears
raised in the past have been proved groundless, well, it is true that until Xi Jinping came along, things went pretty well.
But not perfectly in Hong Kong but he has been different, he has been turning the screws on Hong Come. Ms. Lam said I think yesterday when asked
about freedom of speech she said that for the time being nobody has to worry about that for the time being.
Somebody else talked about only just being a minority of people. These some Democratic leaders who were locked up on the other day were part of the
demonstration which involved 1.7 million people so with that they will lock up the whole 1.7 million?
It's outrageous and that's why I've been arguing that Britain who has a particular responsibility should raise the question to Hong Kong at the G-7
meeting next month.
SOARES: And we'll get to Britain in a second but on Carrie Lam she said that Hong Kong government actually said that - I think the words were the
spirit of the bill is about respect. Do you buy that?
PATTEN: No, I don't. The spirit of the bill is about trying to entrench the power of the communist dictatorship and the attempt to shut people up in
Hong Kong, to end freedom of speech and to undermine the rule of law.
And if anybody thinks that it might have been part of the defense or Hong Kong's freedoms it is worth remembering that this all started when the same
Carrie Lam tried to remove the firewall that protects the rule of law in Hong Kong from what passes as the law as applied by the Communist Party in
China. That's when it all started, that's when the demonstrations started.
SOARES: So what we have then are authorities really Beijing, Hong Kong really refusing to back down Mr. Patten here. So what can be done at this
point? You were mentioning calling on Britain and its G-7 allies to take a start. What would you look them to do at this point?
PATTEN: Well, we have got to recognize that Hong Kong is yet another test of the extent to which we can trust the Chinese government, the Communist
Chinese government. Not Chinese people but the Communist government in the years ahead.
And there's one area after another where it's exactly not the case that we can. We know, for example, say one of many examples that President Obama
got from Mr. Xi Jinping a promise that the Chinese would not militarized the Islands in the South China Sea and they've been doing that hand over
fist.
So you can't trust them further and you can throw them and what we need to do is if we want to see a defense of the values of the liberal democracy,
the values we take for granted, we have to stand up to China.
[11:40:00]
PATTEN: We have to make sure that the agreements with them are kept and if they don't keep agreements then we have to call them out. And that's a
strong argument for example from not only raising the issues at the G-7 and for the G-7 making a statement but it is necessary going to the U.N.
Security Council.
Where I'm sure that China would try to block it but China doesn't like being put on the spot which is one reason why it tried to block the
Australian proposal that is now had to accept it for a proper inquiry by experts into the origins of the Coronavirus.
SOARES: Now, you know this region better than most. Most politicians I think also fair to say. How do you see Mr. Patten the west relationship
with Beijing? Because I do - something on the lines that you have said and correct me if I'm wrong that the west has been kowtowing to Beijing for I'm
guessing financial reasons here?
PATTEN: Yes. But you forget about the fact that people not - and that actually the Chinese don't try to do us favors buying things from us and if
you take the case of the United Kingdom the Chinese had for years a huge trade surplus with it. They had trade surplus with us it's twice as much as
our total exports to them.
So they're not doing us any favors when they announced in order to carry favor to get some - us to do one or two things form them but we're in a
golden age of Chinese British relations. And they promised that with huge amounts of investment pouring into some of the poorest regions of the
United Kingdom.
The leader of Council in one of them in New Yorkshire and Sheffield when asked about it last year said they promised us a billion pounds which
disappeared like candy floss. They make these promises they don't deliver it on them. Basically they take us for a ride and if we want to see the
slow and steady destruction of the international order.
If they what we want to see the undermining of liberal democracies everywhere, from America to Canada to Australia, New Zealand to Europe, if
we want to see that, then we'll continue to back down and kneel whenever they pass by.
SOARES: Secretary Pompeo called the legislation a death knell for autonomy. We also had the interview that we had before coming to you with Jimmy Lai
where he said it is now on - they're really hoping that President Trump kind of saves the day. What is your view here? What can President Trump do
at this point?
PATTEN: Well, I think it's a question of not being the individual it's a question of what United States can do. I hope regardless whoever wins the
election in November we can look to the United States to build alliances with others around the world who even if they don't agree the way in which
these arguments are made by a particular American politician still nevertheless see that we have shared interest.
And that's what we should be I think doing. I found myself the other day agreeing with many of the things that Secretary Pompeo said. I didn't agree
with the way he put them all the time. I'm sure he wouldn't agree with the way I always put things.
But there's nevertheless a shared interest between all of us who believe in freedom, all of us who live in democracy and, frankly, some who don't live
in democracies which is why a lot of countries in Asia, like Vietnam, are very nervous about the Chinese, as well.
They're bullies. They lie. They break their word. They're dangerous to the world. They're a threat to the future to all of us and don't forget that
while it is wrong to blame Chinese people for the Coronavirus because we can think of those eight brave doctors in Wuhan who tried to blow the
whistle and were shut up by the police.
And while you remember - you have to remember that the Chinese people are not dangerous, the Chinese Communist Party is. It is mendacious, it throws
its weight around and everybody who believes in freedom should stand up for Hong Kong.
It's worth remembering that Jimmy Lai like more than half the population in Hong Kong was himself a refugee from events in Communist China from the
great league forward from the great famine all those awful, awful, brutal developments in Chinese history.
SOARES: Chris Patten, the Former Governor of Hong Kong, thank you very much for taking the time to speak to us here on "Connect the World". We
appreciate it.
PATTEN: Thanks very much indeed for CNN and thanks for all of your reporting.
SOARES: Pleasure. Thank you very much, sir. I want to stay right here in the U.K. where we're following new fallout from a scandal involving a top
aide to Prime Minister Boris Johnson. We brought you that story yesterday.
[11:45:00]
SOARES: Dominic Cummings held a news conference roughly at this time in fact on Monday about his decision to travel during the lockdown. So far he
has offered no apology and he is refusing to step down. Now a junior government Minister has since resigned citing Cummings hypocritical he
calls behavior.
Meanwhile, Mr. Johnson has announced plans for nonessential businesses to open beginning June 15th. It's part of a second phase of easing lockdown
restrictions in the U.K. CNN International Diplomatic Editor Nic Robertson is live from 10 Downing Street this hour.
So Nic for all our viewers right around the world how much this resignation from this Junior Minister? How much is this a blow for the Prime Minister?
Are we seeing signs of a wider discontent within the conservative party at this point?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: You know what the Prime Minister really hoped for was that if he let Dominic Cummings
come out in front of journalist and answer all of their questions which is what he did yesterday then he would move on.
As Dominic Cummings said as the Prime Minister said this was sort of the chance to get his version of the story out because the media had got it
wrong and therefore in their view people could make up their own minds, people could look at the facts now presented by Dominic Cummings.
But the reality is people have now had a chance to look at that, you have this Junior Minister Douglas Rossi under Secretary of State for Scotland
resigning his position in government, within the cabinet, because he doesn't feel that Dominic Cummings did the right thing.
And said the conclusions and assessment that Cummings came to is not that most people would have taken. And today there's been a steady drip, drip,
drip of feedback from other conservative MPs. Several of them have written letters now public that have said that they believe that Cummings should
have apologized, he should have accepted some responsibility should have offered to resign.
This is, you know, damaging for the Prime Minister as he tries to push the country forward to come out of the lockdown with the opening of the stores
in June in a few week's time. Not supposed to be a positive message but this is really becoming a millstone around his neck.
He gives the impression that he'll drag it for a while but that there's the issue of how he's handling Dominic Cummings and therefore the perception of
how he is doing as a Prime Minister? Remembering that has been criticized on so many ways that the government has handled the Coronavirus crisis so
far on personal protection equipment, on testing, on the care homes, on so many different issues.
This is not a good look for the Prime Minister at the moment and recent polls in the U.K. since this became an issue that Cummings issue became
public knowledge over the weekend. It's seen a decline in popularity for the Prime Minister, a decline in popularity for the government and an
increase in views that Dominic Cummings made the wrong call. So over the longer term this is still problematic for the Prime Minister, Isa.
SOARES: Thank you very much, Nic Robertson, outside 10 Downing Street. Now I want to go to a very short break because coming up on "Connect the
World", Georgia was one of the first to reopen for business in the United States. We take a look at how the state is doing roughly a month later?
That's next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:50:00]
SOARES: The U.S. State of Georgia has become a test case for reopening one of the first states if you remember to get back to business in the midst of
the Coronavirus pandemic. That was believe it or not a month ago. CNN's Nick Valencia has an update on how Georgia is doing now?
NICK VALENCIA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Looking at scenes like this, you may think Georgia never closed. CNN took a closer look at the data. What we
found is that at least so far the numbers haven't changed much.
In the month since Georgia's Governor eased restrictions in a big way, the rate of new cases hasn't declined but it's not skyrocketed either despite
some dire predictions. Looking at data of Johns Hopkins University between April 24th and May 24th, the number of new confirmed cases by day in
Georgia does show slightly higher numbers over the past five days or so.
But zooming out, that goes up and down overall data shows the rate of new daily cases in Georgia has been mostly flat from April 24th the day the
first reopening to May 24th, averaging in the 600 to 700 range, the rate of new deaths per day also steady.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BRIAN KEMP, GEORGIA GOVERNOR: I'm proud of what we accomplished over the last several weeks. But we cannot rest on our laurels. We need to further
expand access to testing and we need to encourage Georgians to make it a priority.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VALENCIA: In fact, testing is the one thing going way up in Georgia. Georgia's rate of new tests added per date has basically quadrupled in one-
month period from about 5,000 a day to about 20,000. So more new testing the find new cases plus a flat rate of new cases seems like good news.
And the rate of positive test results remains about 5 percent, it was in the range of 15 percent to 20 percent a month ago also good news. In
Atlanta, the city's most densely populated city it seemed that some were willing to take the risk. Data or not nightclubs were packed restaurants,
were too.
In an apparent reference to Atlanta's Mayor the host of this massive Atlanta pool party seemingly admitting to the risk writing on Instagram,
I'm sorry Ms. Bottoms.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VALENCIA: What's your assessment so far and how this state is doing?
DR. CARLOS DEL RIO, EMORY UNIVERSITY: From my prospective to say the state is doing okay.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VALENCIA: Emory University Global Health and Epidemiology Professor Dr. Carlos Del Rio says the impact of the Governor's shelter in place order
clearly decreased the number of infections and deaths.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DEL RIO: Having a healthy economy is about providing people jobs, is about providing people opportunity, it is about health. So unemployment is causes
this unemployment causes the poverty so we have to find the balance but we need to do it carefully, we need to be careful not to be irresponsible.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VALENCIA: Nick Valencia, CNN, Atlanta.
SOARES: Now many restaurants are opening back up but are they safe? We have some simple we'll to show you what they reveal that's next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SOARES: Now there is a lot we still don't know about how Coronavirus spreads? Are you more likely getting it from touching a germy surface or
breathing the same air as an infected person?
[11:55:00]
SOARES: Brian Todd shows us two recent studies on how the virus travels. Take a look at this.
BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: A disturbing altered reality demonstration of how Coronavirus spreads? Medical experts teamed up with Japan's public
broadcaster NHK together 10 participants, the setting a simulation of buffet-style eating in a cruise ship's dining area or in a restaurant.
The first participant rubs his hands with a special fluorescent liquid only visible under black light. He's simulating an infected person who'd coughed
into his hands. Nine other people join him, put food onto their plates and proceed with a communal meal.
After 30 minutes the room goes dark. Ultraviolet light shows that fluorescent liquid the man had rubbed on his hands is now on several
surfaces tongs, his residue had spread to silverware, glassware. Three people got it on their faces.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. PETER HOTEZ, DEAN OF TROPICAL MEDICINE, BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE: Even some basic rules of dining like buffet-style eating we might have to
reconsider that and go back to individual servings.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TODD: After one round, the team in Japan did a second cleaner version of the same experiment. Had people wash hands, separated dishes and replaced
utensils more frequently. After 30 minutes of that test, no one had picked up the residue.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. MARK RUPP, DIVISION OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES, UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA MEDICAL CENTER: If that initial event where that person had contamination
in their hand had used had hygiene prior to touching that utensil that would have prevented the whole line from becoming contaminated.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TODD: Another new study shows how this invisible enemy strikes when we talk to each other. Researchers at NIH and the University of Pennsylvania found
that one person talking loudly for one minute in a confined space could generate at least 1,000 droplets. Into a dark box lit with lasers a
researcher speaks for 25 seconds, repeating one phrase.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Stay healthy.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TODD: Inside the box thousands of droplets can be seen here as streaks in the air stirred by a fan which is then turned off. The clock up top shows
how slowly the droplets dissipate. Some linger for more than 12 minutes. Those researchers say in real life that's plenty of time for infected
particles to be inhaled by others and cause new infections.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. HOTEZ: There in a loud restaurant, where there is a fair bit of noise, people are speaking loudly. There's going to be lots of micro droplets of
this virus in the atmosphere.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TODD: One expert says both of these studies show that for the foreseeable future we'll have to build safeguards everywhere to ward off this unseen
threat.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. RUPP: Whether that's a flashing light or a piece of tape on the floor or a cross bar that comes down, or what have you - you know, some sort of a
reminder for somebody to say you can't do this until you practice hand hygiene, you can't come into this establishment unless you have a mask in
place.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TODD: Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.
SOARES: And that does it for me for this hour. Thanks very much for watching "Connect the World". I'm Isa Soares in London. So stay with CNN
for the continuing coverage of the Coronavirus pandemic. Do stay right here with CNN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
