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First Move with Julia Chatterley
Military Joins L.A. Firefighting Effort; Wildfire Death Toll Just Risen to 11; Trump Convicted Without Punishment; Investigators Rocked by a Strong U.S. Jobs Market; Supreme Court Signals to Uphold TikTok Ban; At Least 11 People Killed in Wildfires; Venezuela's Maduro Sworn in for Third Term; U.S. Raises Bounty for Nicolas Maduro. Aired 6-7p ET
Aired January 10, 2025 - 18:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[18:00:00]
JULIA CHATTERLEY, CNN ANCHOR, FIRST MOVE:
JAKE TAPPER, CNN ANCHOR: And at least for the time being on the TikTok, @jaketapper. You can follow the show on X, @TheLeadCNN. If you ever miss an
episode of the lead, you can listen to the show, the whole two hours of it, whence you get your podcasts.
The news continues right now on CNN with a man named Wolf Blitzer. He's right next door in a place I like to call The Situation Room. And I will
see you Sunday morning.
ISABEL ROSALES, CNN ANCHOR: It is 7:00 a.m. in Shanghai, 10:00 a.m. in Sydney, and 6:00 p.m. right here in Atlanta. I'm Isabel Rosales, in for
Julia Chatterley. And wherever you are in the world, this is your "First Move."
A warm welcome to "First Move." And here's today's need to know. Firefight. The military adds to the response as wildfires rage around Los Angeles. So,
far, an area the size of Miami has burned.
TikTok shock. The U.S. Supreme Court signals it will uphold a ban on TikTok over concerns of its ties to China.
Trump's trial. The president-elect is convicted without punishment. Instead, he receives an unconditional discharge in the Stormy Daniels hush
money case.
And turmoil in Venezuela. Nicolas Maduro sworn in again as president. We'll look at the country's economic woes and its relationship with the next
Trump White House. That conversation, coming up.
But first, four major wildfires continue to burn in the Los Angeles area. The death toll has just risen to 11, with officials warning that figure
could climb even higher. The largest blaze, the Palisades Fire, is now 8 percent contained, while the Eaton Fire is at 3 percent containment.
Right now, more than 100,000 people are under evacuation orders. L.A. County officials say at least 10,000 properties have been destroyed. Those
are homes, businesses.
Paris Hilton posted this video on X, showing the remains of her home in Malibu. Other celebrities who have lost their homes in the fires include
Mel Gibson, Milo Ventimiglia, and Mandy Moore.
Fire crews are working to get every fire and any flare ups under control before Monday's expected windstorm. CNN's Anderson Cooper is in Topanga
near the Palisades Fire. He filed this report from my colleague Jake Tapper. Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: Jake, I'm on Medley Lane in a community called Fernwood, which is part of -- in Topanga Canyon. There has been a
battle raging here for the last hour and a half. We have seen more air assets deployed in this one spot, in that last hour than I've seen in any
other spot in the last several days. It's been extraordinary to witness.
Right now, you see this fire truck here, they're trying to save this community of Fernwood. There's a number of structures here, a number of
houses here, all of which have survived thus far. So, they are now -- this fire truck is just pouring water, laying down to this curtain of water just
to soak up, keep this whole area wet.
We've had more than a dozen helicopters, fixed wing aircraft flying very low over us. There was a fire down in that direction, which I'm not sure if
it was a structure fire or some vehicles on fire for conflicting reports and firefighters, but they just dumped a large amount of water down there.
They're still watching that spot.
Even though they have devoted a lot of aerial assets to it, the -- oftentimes the flames will come back. So, they -- ultimately, when it's
safe, they send in ground crews to try to dig out any debris, anything that's left behind to make sure that fire doesn't come back.
Yes, yesterday we witnessed fires repeatedly coming back after dumping water from helicopters. But there is now another fire off there on the
horizon. You can see on another ridge that they -- large fixed wing aircraft have been dumping fire retardant on. That's why you see that pink
retardant all on that hill going up to the top of the ridge. Not clear the status of that fire yet.
But this is an area, which is very difficult for firefighters to work in. The roads are very small. They're winding. It's difficult to get their
vehicles in. They're up here, but they have to be concerned about if the wind changes direction and all of a sudden, there's all of this kind of a
valley area, there's a lot of debris, there's a lot of vegetation that could ignite. So, they need to make sure that they can get out if they have
to evacuate in the last minute.
But for now, they are -- they have planted a flag here. They have just called in a lot of assets and they're working incredibly hard to save this
community here of Fernwood. Jake.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROSALES: Just an absolute nightmare for so many people still not out of the woods there yet, as we saw from Anderson Cooper.
[18:05:00]
Well, President-Elect Donald Trump has been sentenced without penalty in his New York hush money case. That means no fines and no jail time. Trump
appearing virtually from his home in Florida. Last year he was convicted of on 34 counts of business fraud tied to hush money payments to adult film
star Stormy Daniels.
Judge Juan Merchan broke down the legal protections of the presidency, but said there's a big caveat. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JUDGE JUAN MERCHAN, NEW YORK STATE SUPREME COURT: However, despite the extraordinary breadth of those protections, one power they do not provide
is the power to erase a jury verdict.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROSALES: And for more on this story, I am joined by Elie Honig, a senior legal analyst for CNN. Thank you so much for joining us and for offering us
your legal perspective. Look, this is clearly a historic moment. Trump has been sentenced, but there is no penalty imposed. Judge Merchan cited the
protections offered to Trump as incoming president as the reason for his decision. Just take a listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MERCHAN: It is the legal protections afforded to the office of the president of the United States that are extraordinary. Not the occupant of
the office. Ordinary citizens do not receive those legal protections. It is the office of the president that bestows those far-reaching protections to
the office holder. And it was the citizenry of this nation that recently decided that you should once again receive the benefits of those
protections.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROSALES: Yes. So, Elie, Trump now walks away without any threat of punishment, fines, or probationary supervision. Can you help our global
audience understand the legal basis behind that?
ELIE HONIG, CNN SENIOR LEGAL ANALYST AND FORMER ASSISTANT U.S. ATTORNEY, SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK: Well, I think we're all struggling to
understand it here in the United States, but let me give it a shot. So, if you go back a year and a half in time, Donald Trump was faced with four
different indictments in four separate jurisdictions. Two of them are federal. We had a state case in Georgia, and then we had this hush money
case in New York State.
Now, the only one of those that ever made it to trial was this one in New York. The other ones just simply took too long. Donald Trump got himself
re-elected, and that essentially made those other cases go away because we have a long-standing problem. Policy here at the U.S. Department of Justice
that you cannot prosecute the sitting president.
Now, this trial happened back in the spring. The sentencing got delayed time and again up until last night when the U.S. Supreme Court, by a five
to four ruling, said the sentencing can go ahead. And the judge in the clip you just played made clear, he said, the reason I'm giving you this
sentence of an unconditional discharge of nothing is not as any reflection on your conduct, it's not even any reflection on you as an individual, it's
a reflection of the powers of the presidency.
And so, Judge Merchan really had no choice. And I think he appropriately recognized that this was the only realistic sentence, given that Donald
Trump will become our president again in 10 days.
ROSALES: Yes. And to your point, I think a year and a half ago, staring down the barrel of two federal and two state indictments to think that he
would walk away with this sort of no punishment would have been unthinkable at that time.
Elie, how significant is this sort of precedence for a state court, and does it set any new legal norms for future cases if it involves a sitting
or incoming president?
HONIG: So, I think what has been reconfirmed in this case and several other of the Trump cases is that the president, or I guess in this case the
president-elect, is in many respects above the law. We love to say here in the United States, no person is above the law. That's not really true. The
president sort of is.
I think there are other questions though, and some of these will be raised on Donald Trump's appeal in this case about whether he was properly
prosecuted in a state level court. This New York case was brought in a state level court.
One of the big problems, I think, constitutionally that they're going to have to litigate on appeal is this is the first time in American history
that a person has been prosecuted for a federal election law campaign finance violation in a state court. I think there's a big constitutional
problem with that, and it wouldn't surprise me if someday, a year, two years from now, some court of appeals throws out this verdict on that
basis.
ROSALES: I think it can be shocking here to hear legal experts like yourself essentially saying there's no checks and balances on the highest
position in the nation here. And, Elie, the president-elect actually called out your name during that hearing. Let's watch real quick.
HONIG: Yes.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT-ELECT: Very respected Jonathan Turley, Andy McCarthy, Judge David Rivkin, a wonderful man who just passed away, by the
way. Gregg Jarrett, Elie Honig from CNN of all places, CNN said that. Paul Ingrassia, Alan Dershowitz, they all said this is not a case that should be
brought.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROSALES: Is that what you're saying, Elie? And what's next for this appeals process?
[18:10:00]
HONIG: I have said this is a case that should not be brought. And I should note, I am a former colleague and a friend of Alvin Bragg's, but I think
this was a misuse of his prosecutorial power.
I think the other cases, the January 6th case and the classified documents case, those, yes, absolutely should have been brought, they should have
been brought quicker. What ended up happening was it took so long that DOJ ran out of time. But no, I've been critical of this case from the start,
and I think a sentence of nothing was probably appropriate.
As to Donald Trump invoking my name, look, at anything we all say here on the public airwaves, go ahead, you can use it. But let me just advise
people citing my name will have no impact on a judge. What I say here on CNN does not have legally binding effect. So, have at it, but I don't think
it has any persuasive force.
ROSALES: Elie Honig, thank you so much for your time.
HONIG: Thank you.
ROSALES: Well, former Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani has been held in contempt of court for the second time this week. Giuliani has repeatedly
made false insinuations about two Georgia election workers, even after they successfully sued him for defamation. Giuliani was ordered to pay the two
women $150 million and agreed to stop slandering them.
Straight ahead, jobs jolt. Investigators rocked by a strong U.S. jobs market. Why good news for the U.S. economy spells bad news for Wall Street.
And the clock ticking down for TikTok. U.S. Supreme Court justices appear ready to uphold a ban on the popular social media app. What all of this
means for TikTok's millions of fans in the U.S. That's next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROSALES: Welcome back. In today's Money Move, U.S. stocks ended the trading week deeply in the red after a stronger than expected U.S. jobs
report. All the major averages falling more than 1.5 percent after jobs growth stoked new inflation fears. Look at all that red. The U.S. adding a
whopping 256,000 jobs in December, about 100,000 more than forecasted. The unemployment rate ticked lower, too, to 4.1 percent. That is good news for
American workers. But bad news for investors worried about how a stronger economy will impact prices and interest rates.
Friday weakness in Asia, too, with the Shanghai Composite and the Japanese Nikkei down by more than 1 percent.
And in the oil patch, Brennan, U.S. crude rallied more than 3.5 percent after the U.S. announced new sanctions on Russia's energy industry.
[18:15:00]
In other business news, a day of supreme importance for TikTok's millions of U.S. fans. The Supreme Court holding a closely watched hearing over
whether the looming U.S. ban on the popular app should be upheld or put on hold. The ban will take effect in just over one week's time. If the
justices refuse to step in or if TikTok's owner does not announce a sale.
Justices appeared skeptical of TikTok's argument that a ban would violate free speech and appeared to take the side of the government, which says
TikTok represents a national security risk because of its reported ties to Beijing.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHIEF JUSTICE JOHN ROBERTS, U.S. SUPREME COURT: So, are we supposed to ignore the fact that the ultimate parent is in fact subject to doing
intelligence work for the Chinese government? It seems to me that you're ignoring the major concern here of Congress, which was Chinese manipulation
of the content and acquisition and harvesting of the content.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROSALES: Yes, Roberts there expressing questions over the safety of the app there. Lawyers for TikTok content creators presented their case before
the high court on Friday, too. They argued that a ban would represent a huge blow to their clients, some of whom make their living right there on
the app.
Summer Lucille, the owner of a Plus-Size clothing boutique, told my colleague Paula Newton earlier that there is no substitute for the traffic
that TikTok brings in.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SUMMER LUCILLE, CONTENT CREATOR: I've been on all the platforms since 2012. I've been on all the major platforms. As a small business owner, you
have to kind of utilize every inch in every platform and nobody has ever -- I've never had this type of opportunity in the last 15 years on any of the
other platforms as TikTok has given me. So, yes, I'm already on all the other platforms, but TikTok was still bringing 80 percent of my traffic.
PAULA NEWTON, CNN ANCHOR: Whether you're a business owner or a user, what do you think it is about TikTok that other platforms haven't been able to
replicate? Why is it so essential?
LUCILLE: The community and that algorithm, that is -- it's the community. Once you -- that algorithm, find your community and find what you like,
it's like your family and you never met the person.
I have thousands of content creators that I've built relationship with, thousands of customers that I found through TikTok because we built this
community, this Plus-Size community that we love on each other, we support each other. It's the community, and other platforms do not have that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROSALES: And Lucille there hopes that President-Elect Trump can use his influence to save the short video app if necessary. Trump has called
TikTok, quote, "a unique medium for freedom of expression" and has asked the Supreme Court to temporarily block the sell-or-ban law until he takes
office. The ban, of course, happening a day before his inauguration.
Now, the Chinese government has yet to comment on Friday's Supreme Court hearing, but Beijing has in the past called the case against TikTok a,
quote, "act of bullying and an abuse of national power."
Now, some believe Beijing has been the guiding force behind TikTok all along, as Marc Stewart reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MARC STEWART, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Among the questions I've been asking to the Chinese government, is it giving guidance to ByteDance, the parent
company of TikTok? No clear answer at the daily press briefing. A spokesperson referred me to past statements saying the U.S. doesn't respect
free markets and there isn't any evidence of a national security risk.
We did have a chance this week to sit down and talk about this with the U.S. ambassador to China as he prepares to leave office. Listen to part of
our conversation.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
STEWART: How much influence does Beijing have in this debate?
NICHOLAS BURNS, U.S. AMBASSADOR TO CHINA: We make the assumption, I certainly do as ambassador here, that the Chinese government has ultimate,
complete authority and access to convince a state enterprise here in China or a private company to do what they wish them to do.
This is an authoritarian government in an authoritarian environment, so that is an issue.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STEWART: This current chapter of the TikTok debate is happening as the incoming Trump administration prepares to take office. It was just last
month the CEO of TikTok met with President-Elect Trump at Mar-a-Lago.
Mar Stewart, CNN, Beijing.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROBERTSON: Bob O'Donnell joins me. He is the president and chief analyst at TECHnalysis Research. Bob, thank you so much for being on the show and
for offering your perspective here. We appreciate it.
Let's start with sort of the human impact on this, as we heard earlier on from Lucille. There's an entire economy that is built around this platform.
For some content creators, this is how they put food on the table. What happens to them day one of the ban if this does indeed move forward?
BOB O'DONNELL, TECHNALYSIS PRESIDENT, CHIEF ANALYST: Well, it is a great and it's a serious question. I mean, remember that the ban is likely to be
for new downloads. Some of the service will exist for a while. Some people are presuming they don't think it will go away right away, but of course it
may degrade very quickly.
[18:20:00]
But you know, look, there are other platforms we've seen in the past, other social media platforms go away. If you look at the history, you now have --
you know, you've got reels on Instagram, you have YouTube shorts, you have lots of other alternatives. Admittedly, they haven't maybe giving these
types of folks the same level of traffic. But if Instagram goes away -- excuse me, if TikTok goes away, obviously, people are going to go to other
places and they will see increased traffic from those other places.
So, my presumption would be that that's how we'll see things roll. Well, people will simply shift other platforms as has occurred in the past.
ROSALES: Yes, and on that comment of filling the void -- the potential void of TikTok, as this ban looms closer, content creators on TikTok,
they've been pushing the platform sister app called Lemon8. The app is also owned by ByteDance. Could this app actually like slip through the cracks as
lawmakers are focused --
O'DONNELL: I doubt it.
ROSALES: -- on TikTok or are the days numbered as well there?
O'DONNELL: I think their days are numbered as well. I mean, I know a lot of people have been talking about Lemon8, but I just don't see that being
an issue. You know, and really, the fundamental issue, I think that's important to remember with this is that TikTok isn't just this fun place to
see these videos, it is a place now where people are going for their news. A huge percentage of younger Americans in particular are getting their news
from TikTok instead of traditional media sources like CNN.
You know, so -- and as a result of that, the influence that it has and its ability to potentially twist things, if Beijing decided to do so, I think
is a lot bigger than a lot of people realize. A lot of people think, oh, it's innocent. It's fun. It's no big deal, but I think the reality that the
court is looking at and the reason why Congress acted the way they did is they're thinking ahead about those potential implications and because of
how much of a news resource it's become.
ROBERTSON: And we heard earlier on from the U.S. ambassador to China that believes Beijing does have an outsized influence on this app. We've heard
that lawmakers, we've heard directly from them, they've been worried about national security, that the Chinese government could use the app to push an
agenda. Bob, do you see these data collection concerns as legitimate, and can you walk us through what sort of information is the app getting from me
if I sign up for it?
O'DONNELL: Well, any of the apps that we all use collect a certain amount of what's called telemetry data, how you're using it, what sort of things
you're clicking on, all the types of -- the amount of time you spend on it, all of those things. And of course, ByteDance uses that to improve the
algorithm that's powering TikTok. Other apps use it for different purposes, but there's a staggering amount of information that's being collected.
Most of us have no idea how much information there would be. We got a small sense of that. If you remember a couple years ago when Facebook had to, you
know, release all the personal information it had collected on people, and it was tens, 20, 50 pages long per person. So, there's a staggering amount
of information that does get collected and potentially could be abused. Now, I'm not saying it's being abused now, but the potential is there. And
I think that's the concern.
And let's not forget, by the way, you know, China has done the same thing to U.S. media companies and plenty of other companies around the world --
countries around the world, excuse me, have already placed some bans on TikTok as well. So, it's not like the U.S. would be the only country to do
it. It is obviously a huge influence here and I'm not discounting that. I know it's incredibly important to a lot of people, but I think, you know,
we'll see people shift. People continue to like that style of interaction with media, and they're going to find it in a couple of other different
places.
ROSALES: And, Bob, some of the criticism from those who are opposed to the ban is that lawmakers haven't exactly presented evidence that Beijing is
putting its finger on the scales. They haven't exactly communicated what this risk even entails. Do you think there's a communication issue here at
play where the government could be doing a better job of explaining this to especially the youth who use this app?
O'DONNELL: Well, it's a fair question. The reality is, of course, I'm not sure they necessarily know for sure exactly what they're collecting. So, in
part, it's because they don't necessarily have all the information they need, but I think they understand well enough that there is this huge
amount of information being collected, again, that goes well beyond ByteDance and TikTok, that's happening across the board.
And I think, to be honest with you, we may see some additional regulation down the road in general around data collection. We certainly have seen
that in California, and we've seen it a couple other places. So, that will continue.
You know, but the other thing too, I'll be honest, is a lot of younger people don't seem to care. They're like, yes, whatever, collect whatever
you want. I don't care. And so, it's a little hard to overcome that. And so, there's not a great and easy answer.
[18:25:00]
But we do know -- look, what we do know is we've seen social media influence things in a lot of different ways. It's arguably influenced
elections around the world. So, there's no question of the power that these kinds of social media platforms has. And given how big and important TikTok
has become for a lot of people, I think that's why -- you know, as you sort of put two and two together and say, look, even if they're not doing
anything like that now, that potential is absolutely there. And it becomes, you know, in theory, of a form of digital warfare at some point,
information manipulation. I mean, we've already seen that happen. And again, I think the concern is it could get worse. And that's why I think
they're trying to act.
ROSALES: And we're going to have to keep our eye on the nation's highest court. So many people keeping close tabs on this on what they decide here
before January the 19th. And of course, as to what President-Elect Trump will do when he takes office. And by the way, he said he has a warm spot in
his heart for TikTok. We'll see what that means. Thank you, Bob O'Donnell, the president and chief analyst at TECHnalysis Research. Appreciate the
time.
O'DONNELL: Thanks.
ROSALES: Well, "more First Move" right after the break. Stick around.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROSALES: Welcome back to "First Move" with a look at more international headlines at this hour. Four people were injured after a Delta Air Lines
plane suffered an engine issue that led to an aborted takeoff. The jet, which had more than 200 people on board, was evacuated on the tarmac at
Hartsfield-Jackson Airport. That's Atlanta's airport. These images were taken by a passenger who said the engine caught fire. The Federal Aviation
Administration says it is investigating.
The leader of Greenland says it is investigating. He has not been in contact with Donald Trump, who has expressed an interest in taking control
of the island. Greenland's prime minister says the island's wish for independence should be respected. Trump, whose son, Donald Trump Jr.,
visited Greenland earlier this week, has not ruled out using military action if Denmark does not give up the semi-autonomous territory.
[18:30:00]
Hostage negotiations between Israel and Hamas have stalled once again, with Hamas claiming Israel has introduced new conditions. Just under 100
hostages are still believed to be in Gaza, including 36 more presumed to be dead.
Let's revisit one of our top stories. The four major wildfires raging across Los Angeles County. At least 11 people have now died and more than
10,000 properties have been destroyed. Here's a map showing those fires. Firefighters are expecting strong winds that will just complicate their
efforts this weekend.
The head of FEMA, Deanne Criswell, also warning of difficult weather conditions. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DEANNE CRISWELL, FEMA ADMINISTRATOR: This situation is still very dangerous. It is still very dynamic. The winds have died down today, but as
I just got a weather briefing at the county EOC, the winds are going to increase again in the coming days. And so, people still need to stay
vigilant. They need to listen to their local officials. They need to heed their advice so they can keep themselves and their families safe.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROSALES: Nick Watt is on the ground at Pacific Palisades, one of the hardest hit areas. Nick what have you seen?
NICK WATT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, this is the destruction in downtown Pacific Palisades. I mean, Tom, pan around. You know, this is an urban
wildfire. This is a downtown. This is a city block. I mean, if you can see, this is now the image of California. Palm trees in the background,
destruction in the foreground.
So, right now, the fire is in the hills behind me. Already 20,000 acres. You know, the last fire I covered in Pacific Palisades a few years ago was
1,000 acres. We thought that was bad. This, 20,000 acres. Why? Because of the wind. The wind has been so strong.
So, right now the wind is lower and they are managing to damp down these fires that are popping up far more effectively than they were a couple of
days ago when this place went up. But right now, you can see that haze in the sky. That is the fire moving across over into the San Fernando Valley.
There are hundreds of firefighters, aerial assets trying to knock that down right now.
And meantime, you know, people are coming back in this little lull before the winds pick up again. No rain, by the way, since we're talking about
weather, that would be great. People are coming back and people are starting to ask questions. People are starting to get angry. Why did the
water run out in the fire hydrants here? The governor of California has just ordered an investigation into that.
You know, one of the reasons the water ran out is there's no city on earth that could deal with no water system on Earth that could have dealt with
what they were trying to deal with here that night. They've got 3 million gallons in tanks up in those hills to try and help the hydrants here, but
they couldn't refill those tanks.
So, you had firefighters on the ground -- not enough firefighters for a start, firefighters on the ground, but no water. No water. So, you know, a
lot of people are already saying, we need to look at this as a wakeup call.
20th century climate, weather, natural disasters, they're over. This is the 21st century. We have a different climate. We have far greater problems to
deal with and we need to be aware. You know, people have told me we actually need to think about building our cities differently, building the
infrastructure differently because of this.
You know, there are certain things that could be easy to do. Power lines set off a lot of wildfires. They're a suspect here, as they always are, we
don't know for sure. But if you put power lines under the ground, they can't start wildfires.
Do you remember the City of Paradise -- town of Paradise up in Northern California? Wiped off the map in 2018. They are rebuilding now, and they're
putting the power cables under the ground. So, we've got to learn some lessons. But right now, bracing for the next wind, and people are beginning
to come back in, see what's happened, and they're getting angry. Isabel.
ROSALES: Nick, on that note about the wind. It was just days ago that we saw triple digit wind speeds. I mean, that just made the situation so much
worse. And now, as you mentioned, folks are bracing again for another wind storm. Maybe folks who thought and prayed and hope that they might be out
of the path. What are people telling you? I imagine that's traumatizing.
WATT: Yes. I mean, a lot of people -- a lot of my friends -- I mean, I live around here and a lot of my friends, you know, ask me because I know
I'm in the news business. So, should we be scared? Should we be scared? Yes, probably. I mean, we don't know what next week is going to bring.
You know, there's still a -- we're still a few days out. So, it's hard to accurately forecast what -- how bad the winds are going to be. I mean, the
one good thing might be, so much fuel, so much brush has already burned that there's not much left to burn in a place like this.
But yes, people are concerned. You know, it's interesting. We've been used to wildfires here in California for a long time. We got the warnings. We
knew this was going to be bad, but yes, how bad do you think it's really going to be? It's human nature never to think it's actually going to be
your house. But for so many of these people, it is.
[18:35:00]
You know, there are neighborhoods here in Pacific Palisades they're just -- I mean, it looks like a bomb. I've covered a lot of wars. It looks like --
I've covered a lot of fires. It looks more like a war zone than a fire zone. That's how bad it is. And it's going to take years.
But already, as I say, like the questions are being asked. You know, they prepositioned equipment, they prepositioned people. They don't have enough
people. You know, they don't have enough firefighters. You know, officials are trying to say this is a perfect storm, you know, there's no more we
could have done. I mean, there's definitely more that could have been done, but also, I do agree with them. You know, those high winds you're talking
about.
If you can't get aircraft in the sky to hit these wildfires, you're fighting a losing battle, frankly. Because, you know, up here, it's steep.
The roads are narrow. It's hard to get those fire trucks up there. You know, the winds are whipping embers. If you can't be blasting that stuff
from the air, creating, you know, cordons around fire, you know, using fire retardant, if you can't do that, if you can't attack from the air, it's
almost like a war, again. If you can't attack from the air, you are at such a disadvantage. And for so long, they were at such a disadvantage.
I remember the first time I could hear the planes overhead was I think two nights ago when I was lying in bed, I could hear the planes and I
immediately relaxed about, great. It was such a comforting sound because we hadn't heard it and you always want to hear the planes in the wildfire
because that means you know they've got a good chance of trying to get on top of it.
Here, there was a bunch of people on the ground without enough water and no help from above. Isabel.
ROSALES: Yes. And just the heartbreak of so many people coming out. Going to where their homes were and then realizing indeed that it is a total
loss. And then their neighbors, some of whom have been at a total surprise to see that somehow their property is still there and the guilt that they
feel sometimes and knowing that they're OK and their neighbor is not. And of course, all the questions of how quickly, you know, response came and
how it got to this point. Nick Watt, still a lot of reporting that needs to be done. Glad you're out there and bringing us that reporting. Thank you.
WATT: Thanks.
ROSALES: Well, coming up, the U.S. raises the bounty for Nicolas Maduro as he is sworn in for a third time -- in his third term as Venezuela's
president. How his presidency could hit the country's economy and the wider region.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[18:40:00]
ROSALES: $25 million, that is the U.S. bounty for Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, who's wanted on drug trafficking, narcoterrorism, and other
charges. The South American strongman has previously rejected the allegations as an attempt to destabilize his government. Maduro's -- Maduro
had just been sworn in for a third term after an election many international observers believe was stolen.
U.S. President Joe Biden offering the sum in exchange for any information that could lead to his arrest or conviction. Stefano Pozzebon has this
report on the situation in Venezuela.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
STEFANO POZZEBON, JOURNALIST (voice-over): Death to the international outcry around his election and to the cries for liberty of thousands in
Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro is sworn in for a third presidential term in Caracas on Friday, sending a message of defiance to anyone daring to
criticize his rule, especially the U.S.
NICOLAR MADURO, VENEZUELAN PRESIDENT (through translator): I was not put here by the U.S. government or by any pro-imperialist government of the
Latin American right. I'm here because I come from the people.
POZZEBON (voice-over): The White House and the European Union, among several international powers, who did not recognize his July win, now
slapping new sanctions on more than a dozen government officials and a $25 million reward for Maduro's arrest.
Neighboring Colombia saying Thursday it will not recognize Maduro's victory, sending Venezuela further and further into isolation as its
government temporarily shut down its western border on Friday. It all stems from the controversial 2024 election. Venezuelan authorities announcing
Maduro's victory without showing any proof. And the opposition publishing thousands of electoral tallies that independent observers and several
organizations say they prove their candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez, actually won. Now, pledging to continue to protest.
MARIA CORINA MACHADO, VENEZUELAN OPPOSITION LEADER (through translator): Maduro will not be able to govern by force, a Venezuela that has decided to
be free.
POZZEBON (voice-over): Gonzalez himself fled abroad fearing for his safety. He gave a speech in the Dominican Republic on Thursday. And on
Friday, he decided to remain in exile until conditions in Caracas improve. But with Maduro cementing his grip on power for more than a decade, many
are increasingly looking at U.S. President-Elect Donald Trump to take a stand. Trump on Thursday voiced his support for a free Venezuela, as the
fate of its people remains uncertain.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROSALES: And now, new instability in the country may only worsen its already devastated economy, which has seen soaring inflation and the cost
of living just skyrocketing. That's one of the reasons Venezuelans have fled abroad, as many as 8 million people, according to the U.N.
With Donald Trump returning to the Oval Office, it is unlikely that there will be any thawing in the U.S.-Venezuela relationship. The incoming U.S.
president previously calling Maduro, quote, "a dictator."
Joining me now on this is Eric Farnsworth, he is the vice president for the Americas Society and the Council of the Americas organization, which
promotes dialogue and trade across the continent. Thank you so much for joining us, Eric.
Let's talk about Venezuela, which has seen a prolonged economic crisis. We're talking triple digit inflation, and exodus of millions of migrants
looking for better jobs outside of the country. Can you give us a sense of the economic temperature right now in the country and what that is like for
Venezuelans there?
ERIC FARNSWORTH, VICE PRESIDENT, AMERICAS SOCIETY AND COUNCIL OF THE AMERICAS: Hi, Isabel. It's great to join you and your viewers. I mean, the
technical word is Venezuela is an economic basket case. And you're absolutely right. This has been a country that since the deterioration of
oil prices back in 2012, 2013 has really been on the back foot economically, and it's just been incredibly mismanaged by first Hugo Chavez
and now Nicolas Maduro for years and years.
They have taken over the private sector. Gross corruption has stolen billions of dollars of proceeds from oil and other minerals and mined
products that should be the property of the people. And the economy has just really been run essentially as a private play thing of the government
in power.
And so, yes, you're right. I mean, over a quarter of the population of Venezuela has left the country, over 8 million people. It's an astounding
figure. Many of those folks have come to The United States, but even more have come to neighboring countries like Colombia and Brazil.
So, the question is, do they improve any time soon? I think the short answer is probably not. There's no particular reason why the economic
circumstances would turn around anytime soon in Venezuela, particularly with the same leaders in place who have now doubled down on the process
that they're looking to continue.
[18:45:00]
ROSALES: Well, how you put eloquently into a minute. How in the world such a once prosperous country has been gotten to this point. Well done. Well,
the Biden administration turned up at least some pressure on this authoritarian regime with new measures like raising the reward for
information leading to the arrest of Maduro and his closest allies.
Eric, do this sort of sanctions work? And when Trump takes the office here in 10 days what dynamics should his team keep in mind when it comes to
sanctions policy?
FARNSWORTH: Yes, absolutely. It's a critical question. So, I guess the real point is what's the definition of work. If it's to maintain pressure,
to highlight the rejection of the regime, to bring inconvenience and make their lives difficult, then I think sanctions can work in the context of
what the Biden administration has done. And they've really focused primarily on individual sanctions, additional eight or nine were placed
today on individuals and some continued rhetoric, et cetera, et cetera.
But the real sanctions are clearly sectoral. And that's clearly on the energy side. And I think the Trump administration coming in will have to
decide what it does with -- on that aspect. But there is also a real opportunity here to work with other countries, for example, Canada,
Argentina, countries in Europe who can work together on the sanctions regime so that it's not just one country put in sanctions or that the
sanctions are disjointed, but rather that they're much more coordinated in a way that will lead to ultimately the regime deciding that the cost of
staying in offices is really just more than it's willing to bear.
But I think until you get to that point, yes, the sanctions, people will say they're ineffective. They don't work. Well, yes, Maduro is still here.
He just reinstalled himself today for a third term, but their lives have not been made any easier by sanctions. And I think that's going to be the
question going forward.
ROSALES: Yes. Well, major U.S. oil company Chevron, its license to operate in Venezuela remains in place. Is this something that President-Elect Trump
should look at or would look at considering we would think of him as a president to remove restrictions on businesses not exactly impose them?
FARNSWORTH: Well, I think certainly sectoral sanctions are something that the administration will take a look at, but they're going to have to take a
deep breath. They're not even in office yet. The inauguration of Donald Trump will be January 20th. And so, once the administration is in place,
they'll have to have hearings for the cabinet. Of course, Marco Rubio has been nominated, but he's going to have Senate confirmation. And so, you
know, then there will be a review process going forward.
And I think the question I would have is, you know, can things be done in the interim working with allies and friends? And trying to find ways to
really continue the rejection of the Maduro regime as it continues to reject all the norms of international governance and really harden its
approach even to its own citizens.
ROSALES: And we'll also see what sort of interests President Trump takes in Venezuela as well. Eric Farnsworth, thank you so much for your time.
Appreciate it.
FARNSWORTH: Thanks for having me.
ROSALES: Of course. Well, next, more on our top story. The wildfires in California. And we'll hear from those experiencing this devastation
firsthand.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[18:50:00]
ROSALES: Returning to our top story, the wildfires in California. At least four major fires are continuing to burn in the Los Angeles area. At least
11 people have died, but that number is expected to rise when investigators can safely get access to those impacted areas. More than 100,000 people are
currently under evacuation orders.
CNN has been hearing from families grieving over everything that they've lost in the fires. Kyung Lah spoke with an extended family who lost three
homes in Altadena and are now all living together as they navigate their new reality.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ROBERT LARA, LOST HOME IN FIRE: I feel helpless and I feel like I need the help, but I don't know where to go.
KYUNG LAH, CNN SENIOR INVESTIGATIVE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Robert Lara believed it was a blessing to have his entire family all in Altadena,
California. The Eaton Fire, it became a curse.
LARA: My uncle was on this street. His house is gone. My mom's house is gone. I'm gone. We have nowhere.
LAH (voice-over): Lara recorded as fire engulfed his street, his home and his uncle's home on the same street burned. His mother had already seen her
home a few blocks away go.
LARA: I had my last little dinner here. We hadn't -- there was no power and I still said, I'm holding the fort. I'll be the last one to leave. My
house is not burning. And it's gone. It's gone.
This was all I really wanted to get to. And all I found was nothing.
LAH: What is that?
LARA: This was a passport. So, now, I don't even have a passport. This was a passport book. And it's gone.
Yesterday, I had it all. I had a roof. I had a lawn for my dogs. And now, I'm in a little confined square, not knowing where I'm going to go next.
LAH (voice-over): Domitia Hinojosa is Lara's mother. A diabetic who cares for her disabled son.
DOMITIA HINOJOSA, LOST HOME IN FIRE: This morning when I wake up, I say, oh, I need to go back to my house. What happened with my home? I want to go
back. But I can't. But I can't go back. I can't. I lost everything.
LARA: Mom, come inside.
LAH (voice-over): This is what aftermath looks like. Donated clothes and living in a relative's Airbnb.
LARA: This is chaos.
LAH (voice-over): Dealing with the maze of home insurance.
LARA: This is definitely going to take a lot longer than 12 months.
LAH (voice-over): And money.
LAH: A lot of people outside of California think it was celebrities who lost homes, rich people. Is that true?
LARA: This is your everyday hard working. I work in construction, gardening, housekeeping, your everyday essential workers with nothing. We
still have to cover our mortgage. I called my lender and I still have to continue paying.
LAH (voice-over): This family of faith is left grasping for meaning.
HINOJOSA: I hear the voice that God told me, I give it to you everything and I lost in one second. You need to follow me only. Follow me. I believe
in God. And I think in one day I'm going to have a house and I'm going to have everything.
LAH (voice-over): They only hope God is listening now.
LARA: Is somebody going to help us? Are we helpless? What do we do? Who do we call? I don't know.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROSALES: Gosh, just chills there, what these families are going through right now.
And finally, on "First Move," it's not only humans who are dealing with the enormous impact of the California wildfires animals to have been suffering.
One shelter says it has taken in more than 300 animals and is urging people to take their pets with them when they evacuate. Samantha Lindell has that
story.
[18:55:00]
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SAMANTHA LINDELL, CNN DIGITAL CONTRIBUTOR (voice-over): Rick Miller was checking in on a friend's house in Altadena, California, when he noticed an
injured stray dog across the street. He decided to see if he could help.
RICK MILLER, CALIFORNIA RESIDENT: We're caring for each other. Everyone needs help. Sorry for crying, but it's really emotional seeing like my
friends lose their houses and people losing their animals and trying to help each other out.
LINDELL (voice-over): Miller says the wildfires have taken a toll on everyone, and the least he could do is try to give back.
MILLER: It seemed like all your friends and family are losing their houses, and he's trying to help them out. Like our house was, you know,
fortunately, my house was saved, but a friend is right across the street, their house is gone. That's why you just want to help your friends out,
help your families out, help the animals out.
LINDELL (voice-over): Miller said he ultimately decided to bring the dog to the Pasadena Humane Society in hopes of giving the animal a better
future. The Pasadena Humane Society confirmed they received the stray dog and was treated for burns and exposure to smoke.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROSALES: Yes. And so, many neighbors helping each other out. So, good to see that. For more on how you can help the victims of the Los Angeles area
wildfires, visit cnn.com/impact, cnn.com/impact. You can find out more about the aid groups working on the ground and make a donation directly
from our website.
Well, that wraps up the show. Thank you so much for joining us and have a great weekend.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[19:00:00]
END
