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Isa Soares Tonight
Strike on Alleged Venezuelan Drug Boat Kills 11; Maduro Denies Involvement in Drug Trafficking; Xi Shows Off Weaponry and Alliances in Beijing; New Aerial Attacks on Ukraine. Protesters Take to the Streets in Israel Calling for an End to the War in Gaza; A U.S. Vessel Blows Up an Alleged Drug Boat in the Caribbean; Epstein's Victims Speak Out on Capitol Hill. Aired 2-3p ET
Aired September 03, 2025 - 14:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[14:00:00]
ISA SOARES, HOST, ISA SOARES TONIGHT: A very warm welcome to the show, everyone, I'm Isa Soares. Tonight, a day of disruption in Israel.
Protesters take to the streets calling for an end to the war in Gaza, while the UAE says Israel annexing any part of the West Bank would be a red line.
And the U.S. Defense Secretary says Venezuela's President has decisions to make. This after the U.S. strikes an alleged drug boat in the Caribbean. We
are live on the ground in Venezuela's capital, Caracas, this evening. Plus, Jeffrey Epstein's victims speak out on Capitol Hill, calling for a vote to
release the files. We'll have, of course, all the details for you.
But first, tonight, the United Arab Emirates calls it a red line, and is warning Israel not to cross it. The UAE's Foreign Ministry says any
annexation of the occupied West Bank would severely undermine the Abraham Accords, and an end to pursuit of regional integration -- their words.
The UAE was the main signatory of that landmark accord that normalized Israeli relations with three Arab states. Yet, just today, Israel's Finance
Minister said maps already being drawn up for annexing West Bank territory. Bezalel Smotrich, you're looking at him on your screen there, who has a
significant control over West Bank affairs, says the goal is to quote, "once and for all, bury the idea of a Palestinian state".
Israeli officials say Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is considering various annexation options as retaliation for a growing international
movement to recognize a Palestinian state. All West Bank settlements are illegal under international law. Israel, meantime, is also pressing ahead
with plans to expand the war in Gaza despite a new wave of protests that we have been seeing across Jerusalem.
We've seen demonstrations -- these are live. Are these live images? Confirm if these are live -- we have seen demonstrations and demonstrators
demanding the government end the war and accept a ceasefire deal to bring the hostages home. They kicked off four days of protests today, marching
outside parliament and even near the home of Prime Minister Netanyahu.
Israel's military is advancing on Gaza city meantime, as it prepares for a massive assault. One woman says the neighborhood of Sheikh Radwan is being
burned upside down, she said, saying Israeli forces are destroying homes, burning tents and sending drones with audio messages, ordering people to
leave.
Other witnesses say schools sheltering displaced families were also attacked. A senior Israeli official says only 70,000 Palestinians have left
Gaza so far, out of 1 million. So, a lot for us to get into. Let me go straight to Jeremy Diamond in Israel. We were promising live images. Jeremy
is right there in the middle of these protests.
And Jeremy, yet again, another significant day of protests as people call for a ceasefire at the end for the hostages to be returned, and of course,
for water to come to an end. Give me a sense of whether you think, from what you've heard, this is going to make any dent at all in Netanyahu's
policy here. It hasn't to date.
JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT: It's very hard to say, Isa, but certainly, we have seen protests larger than this one that have not
moved the needle in Israel. But nonetheless, what we have seen tonight is significant. There are thousands of Israelis. This is kind of the tail-end
of the march here that is headed -- they are headed now to the Israeli Prime Minister's residence in order to try and make their voices heard at a
moment that so many people here feel is critical right now.
That, this is kind of a last ditch opportunity to try and raise their voices, to try and prevent the Israeli Prime Minister and his government
from moving forward with what so many here are opposed to, and that is this major offensive to take Gaza city, and also the concerns of so many here,
that this will put the lives of the hostages, 48 still held in Gaza, 20 of whom who are still alive, that it will put their lives further at risk.
And many here are echoing not only the sentiment of protesters that we have heard over the course of the last nearly two years of war. But at this
moment, they are also echoing the voices of Israel's security establishment.
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The Israeli military's Chief of Staff, the head of the Mossad, David Barnea, the head of Israel's internal security, all of them have privately
argued during security cabinet meetings against this major offensive for Gaza City, and instead urging the Israeli Prime Minister to take the deal
that is on the table. This temporary ceasefire agreement that Israel had previously basically agreed to, that Hamas agreed to two weeks ago, and
that the Israeli government has not responded to at all, and certainly, which the Israeli Prime Minister has indicated Israel is not inclined to
take.
Instead, what they are moving forward with is what we have seen over the course of the last 24 hours, and that is tens of thousands of Israeli
reservists that are being mobilized for this new Gaza city operation. That is also, of course, going to put so many Palestinians in the crosshairs.
Nearly, a million Palestinians in Gaza city now at risk of being forcibly displaced. We've already heard estimates of some 70 to 80,000 Palestinians
who have been displaced from Gaza city, who have been forced to flee. And of course, in recent days, we have seen as Israel's bombardment and
artillery shelling of that city has intensified.
Hundreds of Palestinians have already been killed so far. And of course, the situation will get that much worse as Israeli troops, tens of thousands
are expected to begin marching into Gaza city in the coming weeks. And of course, so many here in Israel very much uncertain about what the future
holds there, and concerned about what it means for not only the lives of Palestinians in Gaza, but of course, those hostages, 20 of whom are still
believed to be alive at this moment. Isa?
SOARES: So, a two-pronged question then here, given what you've just said, Jeremy, and I'm not sure, I don't think I've ever asked you this, but does
the -- does the Prime Minister ever respond to these protests first of all, and then what has the reaction been, if any, from this administration to
what we heard from the UAE regarding the West Bank?
DIAMOND: Well, we've heard the Israeli Prime Minister actually tonight putting something out, talking about the protesters earlier today, that he
felt that there wasn't a strong-enough Israeli police response. This is after earlier in the day, we saw some activists had set fire to cars in the
area, but there were many more here who were peacefully protesting.
And that is the majority, of course, of this movement. Now, in terms of the annexation proposals that are indeed on the table, and the response from
the United Arab Emirates warning the Israeli government that this would be a red line for them. It's not clear exactly what kind of consequences that
would draw out, but certainly, it is significant.
The UAE was the first Arab country in more than two decades to normalize relations with Israel, and this is going to have to be a crossroads that
the Israeli Prime Minister has to decide on. Does he choose to go for further international isolation, to put at risk the prospect of Israel
normalizing with additional Arab neighbors in this region?
Or does he go the route of -- which he has chosen far too often, it seems in the last two years of mollifying his right-wing base and fulfilling the
desires of the most extreme members of his government, who are calling right now for annexation of the West Bank and for preventing the future
establishment of a Palestinian state.
SOARES: Jeremy Diamond for us this evening, among protesters there in Jerusalem, it's 9:07 in the evening. Thank you very much, Jeremy,
appreciate it. Well, The Elders, that's a group of global leaders advocating for peace as well as human rights, urging the world to take
action to stop what they call the unfolding genocide in Gaza.
Elder member and former Irish President Mary Robinson, was among a delegation that visited Egypt's border with Gaza, if you remember, last
month. She says, governments that are not using all the tools at their disposal are increasingly complicit in atrocities. Mary Robinson is joining
us now live from Dublin.
And Mary, good to see you once again. As you probably heard our correspondent there, we are continuing to see very large protests across
Israel, demanding that they reach a ceasefire -- that they may reach a ceasefire deal that abandoned the war. Yet, we don't see this Prime
Minister, Mary, heeding, listening, to what they're asking for. Why? What does that -- what does that tell us?
MARY ROBINSON, MEMBER, THE ELDERS & FORMER IRISH PRIME MINISTER: Well, The Elders, as you say, have been very preoccupied by the fact that this is a
deliberate famine and a deliberate unfolding genocide. Now, when we were at the Rafah border, Helen Clark and myself, we saw the lorries with food
turned back for no reason.
We saw lorries with desperate medical treatment sent back for no reason. And we were told about 70 percent of lorries are returned, and far too few
are getting in. And we saw the figures of, you know, 320,000 children suffering severe malnutrition and a 15,000 in July had acute malnutrition.
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Children don't usually survive really acute malnutrition. And we're seeing the deaths now every day. It is incredible that the IPC, the official U.N.-
related body, which is very strict in its terms, has declared famine, and the world has not responded. I mean, what are we doing in our world today
that United States is complicit, particularly in this famine, but so is the European Union.
It should suspend the pillar of the Israeli EU association agreement, and no arms should be provided. Some steps are being taken now, I do welcome
that the UAE, which up until now has been rather silent, has now said there's a red line on the annexation of the West Bank, and so there should
be.
I mean, this is just intolerable. And, you know, there's a real possibility of the Middle East exploding on this from the bottom up. You know, people
just cannot stand seeing the scenes that they are seeing every day.
SOARES: And look, the UAE did say, it would be a red line, but we -- as Jeremy was outlining there, Mary, didn't talk about any consequences here.
And this is a thing, we always hear a lot of rhetoric, but not much action. You know, the last time you and I spoke in October of 2024, we had
different leadership at the White House.
I remember you telling me at the time that you know, that the failure to stop this was a failure of leadership. Almost a year on, Mary, nothing has
changed. Why has leadership failed? Why have we failed to apply pressure here? Should leaders -- I mean, you're pointing it to the EU and also the
United States. Should leaders -- should countries be sanctioning Prime Minister Netanyahu here?
ROBINSON: Absolutely. Prime Minister Netanyahu and his entire cabinet should be sanctioned because of what they are doing, because of the
deliberate famine that they have created, because they're blocking the food getting in, and because they are -- and now, the United States is even more
complicit because they're denying the visas to President Abbas to come to the General Assembly.
I mean, it is quite incredible. The situation is not as it was, Isa, a year ago. It's far --
SOARES: Yes --
ROBINSON: Worse. And that's the -- you know, that's the tragedy. And you know, when I think of Northern Ireland, i think of, you know, a much
smaller population. But what happened? You had the bipartisan support of Congress. You had Senator George Mitchell on the ground helping to make
peace.
You had the European Union totally committed in resources and elsewhere. And how lucky the people of Northern Ireland were. And look at the
Palestinians. Look at the starving children, starving people and desperate. And now, the attack on Gaza city has already displaced, as you said, some
70 to 80,000.
These are the ones that physically can move. But many can't move because they are weak from starvation. They are wounded, and they're old. They're
young, you know, they're just going to be slaughtered.
SOARES: Where then is that political tenacity. You know, where is that leadership when we learn of how, you know, from Northern Ireland, which saw
decades of sectarian violence, years of failed peace efforts, and then, of course before the Good Friday Agreement. Because now we are talking about -
- and we're hearing from United States President floating the idea of a -- of a Gaza Riviera, I'm sure you saw, Mary, in Washington post this week,
planned -- post-war plans, which involved, in their own words, voluntary relocation of Palestinians.
And under the plan -- just for our viewers, each Palestinian would be paid $5,000 plus ten years rent somewhere else. I mean, is -- do you think this
is seriously being considered?
ROBINSON: Well, it seems that President Trump has a transactional approach that is quite ridiculous in the circumstances. The Palestinians are not
going to leave Gaza. That is their land. And they are -- they must have the right to self-determination. We are coming up this month to the U.N.
General Assembly meeting, and the fact that President Abbas has not been allowed to go to the Assembly means -- will it take place in New York, or
will it have to move to Geneva? Which it did once before when Arafat was refused.
But there will be very serious discussions. And of course, countries will be recognizing, and more countries are recognizing, including, importantly,
the G7 countries, Canada, France and the United Kingdom.
But also now Belgium more recently, and Portugal and other countries. We're getting to, you know, a very big build-up in the EU of countries that are
recognizing, and that is what has caused the alarm, because Prime Minister Netanyahu has never wanted a two-state solution, and now is trying to bury
it with his very right-wing government. And this is absolutely appalling.
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SOARES: And speaking of that right-wing government, we have been hearing from three Israeli officials that Israel is now weighing the annexation of
-- a large part of the annexation of the West Bank, in fact, Mary, from just a limited takeover of several Jewish settlements, it seems to
annexation or what they call area C, which by the way is 60 percent of the territory.
When you hear that -- I mean, try to make sense for our viewers, how is it that a year on from when you and I spoke, things -- we, as leaders and
humanity have allowed this to continue?
ROBINSON: It is truly shocking. It would split the West Bank completely. The -- it is a deliberate attempt to kill any possibility of a two-state
solution other than a creation of the possibility of a land for all, which is a way of looking at -- you know, a possible two states, a confederate
Israel and Palestine together as two states, where the settlers in the West Bank would become residents of the state of Palestine and citizens of
Israel.
That, to me, speaks a little bit about the Northern Ireland solution, this idea of identity, you know, having an identity of a citizen and also a
resident -- a resident of the West Bank, but of a state of Palestine. Now, this probably is the only way forward now with what is happening. But it
must happen because we must have a state of Palestine.
SOARES: Very briefly. You were talking about really not just United states, but Europe. So many of the officials I've spoken to, saying if
anyone can move the needle here, it's President Trump. What can then -- European leaders, what pressure can European leaders put on President Trump
at a time that, you know, we've got tariffs, there's a transactional nature to his leadership. What would you like to see from other leaders on this?
ROBINSON: I think it was really important to put as much pressure as possible on President Trump, and to make it clear that the people of Israel
want, and are demonstrating for the ceasefire that is on the table. If he wants to make some progress on a peace accord, it's open to him now. He
actually could deliver very quickly because he has the levers of refusing arms transfers to Israel.
And you know, even having some sanctions if necessary. This is what is needed. And we were coming up to the U.N. General Assembly, the New York
declaration is one which affirms the importance of a two-state solution. And the countries that took part in that meeting, which I attended in New
York as an Elder with my fellow Elders.
You know, the mood was very serious there. There were working groups that had reported on the nuts and bolts of a two-state solution, if I could put
it that way, and the steps that need to be taken, including a reconstitution of Gaza, that's all on the table. You know, President Trump
could actually make great progress if he just switch from blocking and supporting an extremist government and a bad Prime Minister, and move in
the direction of peace, and a peace process that is open.
SOARES: Mary Robinson, really appreciate you as always your insight, thank you so much, good to see you, Mary, hopefully next time we talk, things
will be --
ROBINSON: Thank you --
SOARES: Slightly better, thank you. Well, we are not going away, and we are not going to give up. That was a powerful display of courage as well as
determination on Capitol Hill earlier as survivors of the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein made their voices heard and told their stories
publicly for the first time.
In an emotional press conference, they demanded accountability and transparency, urging Congress to push for the release of all of the Epstein
files.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JENA LISA JONES, EPSTEIN ACCUSER: I remember crying the entire way home, thinking about how I can ever tell anyone about what actually happened in
that house. This guy was so rich and had so many pictures with so many famous people, and no one would have ever believed me if I told them.
SKY ROBERTS, VIRGINIA GIUFFRE'S BROTHER: I plead to you whether you're a dad, a mom, a brother or a sister, look your young ones in the face. Look
them in the eye and tell them you didn't stand against the very people who raped, molested and preyed upon children and young women. Tell them you
were willing to negotiate a deal.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: Incredibly powerful there. Well, it comes as Republican lawmaker Thomas Massie is trying to force a vote requiring the full release of the
Epstein documents, in a move the White House says would be viewed as a hostile act to the Trump administration.
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Let's get more now from CNN's Kara Scannell. And Kara. I mean, this was incredibly moving, sometimes clearly very visibly angry. And for some of
them, it was the first time, in fact, we'd heard they'd spoken out publicly. Talk us through what they had to say, what we heard today.
KARA SCANNELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, for some of these victims, these survivors, it was the first time they had spoken publicly. And for others,
they were back out there telling their story about what had happened to them. And this is a long story for many of these women. Their abuse by
Epstein began when they were young girls back in the early 2000.
So, it has been a long journey for them, and they have a lot of frustration still about how the Justice Department has handled their investigations
into Epstein over all of these years, and then ultimately, they're wanting more accountability, and through that, more transparency.
So, that was a theme that we heard from a number of the survivors who spoke today. Some of them were urging President Trump to help them, as they put
it, to push for more transparency, to have the Justice Department release more information. They did release to Congress pursuant to a subpoena, some
30,000 pages of documents yesterday that the house committee made public.
But most of that information, if not all of it, was information that had already been publicly released, either through Ghislaine Maxwell's criminal
trial or through other related investigations and lawsuits. So, the public and the survivors are still lacking some information that they are hoping
the Justice Department will eventually provide to Congress.
And that is part of what Massie's effort is, to try to also force to happen, you know, for some of these survivors too, it was an airing of some
frustrations that they've had, including with the deputy Attorney General's recent sit-down interview with Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein's accomplice in
this, his former girlfriend, and someone who is now serving a 20-year prison sentence for her grooming, recruiting and also at times
participation in the sexual abuse of some of these young girls with Jeffrey Epstein.
You know, one of these survivors saying that, you know, it was insulting to her to have Maxwell's voice elevated, given this audience with Todd
Blanche, the deputy Attorney General, before these victims' voices could be heard. So, certainly, a lot of frustration, but underlying all of it, they
are calling for greater transparency.
They're asking Trump to intervene, to push for transparency himself. He has called it a hoax. One of the survivors said to the President that she is a
Republican. She said, I can tell you this is not a hoax. This really happened. So, a lot of people, these survivors asking Trump to do something
because they want more information about the Justice Department's investigation, what they knew, where they looked, who they investigated as
part of this.
Since the only people to have been prosecuted for this has been Epstein and Maxwell, they certainly want to hold other people that they said were part
of this sex trafficking operation accountable, though there is still a lot that will have to play out with Congress now pushing this issue, at least
among some Republicans and most Democrats. Isa?
SOARES: Kara, thank you very much indeed. Kara Scannell there. And still to come tonight, U.S. says it attacked a boat linked to Venezuelan drug
trafficking, killing 11 people. We're on the ground for you live in Caracas, Venezuela. Also ahead, an extraordinary spectacle in Beijing. The
leaders of Russia, China, North Korea stand together to deliver a message of defiance to the West.
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SOARES: Welcome back everyone. An attack on an alleged drug boat has become the latest flashpoint between the U.S. and Venezuela. The White
House says it launched the strike on a vessel carrying drugs from Venezuela, killing 11 people. It says the attack was carried out in
international waters in the southern Caribbean, and the boat was linked to the Tren de Aragua criminal group.
The U.S. considers TDA a terrorist organization. The U.S. Secretary of State was just asked about the attack during a news conference in Mexico
city. Take a listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARCO RUBIO, SECRETARY OF STATE, UNITED STATES: Let me say this. The United States has long for many years, established intelligence that allow
us to interdict and stop drug boats. And we did that. And it doesn't work. Interdiction doesn't work because these drug cartels, what they do is they
know they're going to lose, you know, 2 percent of their cargo, they bake it into their economics.
What will stop them is when you blow them up, when you get rid of them. So, they were designated as what they are. They are narco terrorist
organizations. So, the same information and the same intelligence mechanisms with maybe a higher focus was used to determine that a drug boat
was headed towards eventually the United States.
And instead of interdicting it on the President's orders, he blew it up. And it will happen again, maybe it's happening right now. I don't know. But
the point is, the President of the United States is going to wage war on narco terrorist organizations. This one was operating in international
waters, headed towards the United States to flood our country with poison, and under President Trump, those days are over.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: Marco Rubio speaking just moments ago. While Venezuela's President has vowed not to bow to threats from Washington and denies any involvement
in drug trafficking, the U.S. has deployed warships to the region, as you well know, to target cartels, drug cartels, a move that's divided some
Latin American countries.
Stefano Pozzebon is in Venezuela's capital, Caracas. Stefano, great to see you. What now then do we know about this military strike? And how is this
being received from where you are?
STEFANO POZZEBON, CNN REPORTER: Well, it's fair to say, Isa, that here in Venezuela, it's not really made too much of a news. Perhaps it's also
because Nicolas Maduro, the Venezuelan leader is yet to address that particular incident. There is still a lot of questions unanswered around
the news that was broken yesterday by the President of the United States, saying that the United States took out or blew up a speedboat with 11
alleged drug traffickers that was traveling from Venezuela.
And we understand that the strike occurred on international waters. We are in a country that has seen, of course, growing U.S. pressures in the last
few weeks, Isa. And we're talking about at least seven warships as well as one nuclear power, the submarine that are roaming around the southern
Caribbean sea in front of the coast of Venezuela.
But if you come here to Caracas, you don't really feel like this is a country in high tension. You can see that we are in a suburb that is quite
actually close to the Caribbean sea, and life goes on as usual. Of course, it's a crisis -- it's a country that is still dealing with a deep economic
crisis, and it's still a country that is working under an anti-Democratic government.
However, it doesn't feel like that war is exploding or is coming to these streets. And that is also the message that I think the Maduro government is
trying to put out, not just to its own people, but to the international community as well. In the last few days, we've had multiple conversations
with government officials. This is what one of them told me a couple of days ago. Take a Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BIANCA EEKHOUT, VENEZUELAN LAWMAKER (through translator): Nobody on this continent, from Patagonia to Alaska, wants to see a war. It's absurd. I am
sure the people of the United States don't want it either. Such a war would lead to the complete defeat of those pretensions of a unipolar world that
some American imperialists still have.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STEFANO POZZEBON, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: I think that is crucial what Blanca Eekhout, the pro-government lawmaker in Venezuela, is saying was crucial is
that, yes, there is a growing U.S. pressure and many people here in this country do want to see the government out. They do want to see Maduro out.
However, do they want to see a military intervention the streets? Do they think that the solution to the Venezuela's problem is an invasion? Not so
much, I think.
And that's why even here you can see it's a normal day, with people coming in and out of their -- of the -- out buses -- of the buses. There is trade
going on. There is, of course, the big geopolitical element of the country standing in the United States, and we've seen that over the last 20 years,
frankly, Isa, you and I.
But here, it doesn't feel like any invasion is approaching, of course. That said, it remains a dramatic escalation from the other side, taking out, of
course, 11 alleged drug traffickers as well. That is something that we had not seen before. Isa.
ISA SOARES, CNN INTERNATIONAL HOST: Stefano Pozzebon for us live in Caracas this hour. So, important that you are there for us. Stefano, good
to see you. Thank you very much indeed.
And I do want to continue this conversation. Joining me now is Wesley Tabor. He's formerly served as a U.S. drug enforcement administration
agent, and was the country attache in Venezuela. Wesley, welcome to the show.
Your expertise is very much what we need to understand at this hour, really the scope of narco trafficking and hierarchy, which as we've heard there
from Mr. Rubio. Let me start, first of all, with what we have seen in the last 24 hours, what we heard from the U.S. President, in fact, Wesley, this
U.S. military strike in the Caribbean on a vessel reportedly linked to Tren de Aragua cartel. I mean, this caught many people by surprise. Were you
surprised too? Just your thought.
WESLEY TABOR, FORMER DEA AGENT: You know, I've never seen a kinetic strike on a vessel like this, and I've worked many maritime cases. I've worked
with the HITRON teams, which is a helicopter (INAUDIBLE) tactical squadron, and they have sniper rifles basically that disable these boats, and I've
done that all over Central America.
We have had deaths as a result of, you know, some metal shearing off the motors as we try to disable the boats and things like that. But I've never
seen this before. This is a brand-new level of action that we're seeing now and it's right off the coast of Venezuela for us all to see.
SOARES: And as you look at that, what does that tell us about the policy going forward? Because as we heard from Mr. -- Secretary Rubio there, this
is probably bound likely to continue. He doesn't know when. He doesn't even know if it's happening right now. It's likely to continue. How serious do
you think is the U.S. right now and about this, going after narco trafficking and these cartels?
TABOR: You know, there's no question that we've reached new levels. And I think the culmination of over a million people that have died with drug
overdoses in the United States has pushed us to the realization that something else has to be done. And the administration has clearly said,
hey, we're going to take out these drug traffickers that are pushing the poison in the Caribbean.
And like I said, now we have the military assets indices. We have not only U.S. military assets, but don't forget, we have ally British ships, we
might have Dutch ships or friendships out there as well working with us. It remains to be seen if they're actually going to do some of these kinetic
strikes as well on these targets.
SOARES: And, Wesley, many of our viewers who potentially only be hearing about the Cartel de los Soles in the last few weeks or so. And important to
point out that Cartel de los Soles refers to involvement of Venezuelan authorities, right, in drug trafficking. Just give us a sense, Wesley, of
how large this operation is, how widespread it is here.
TABOR: We're talking about a government that has been hijacked. You know, going back into the '90s when Hugo Chavez, the infamous Hugo Chavez was
down there, he wanted to make the country something that it wasn't, right. And slowly, there's an erosion of democratic process, like the reporter
before had said. And now, we have a straight up dictatorship.
And I think what happened is the enrichment that all these generals and military figures and politicians were gleaning from the narcotics trade,
but it's not just a narcotics trade. We're talking about billions and billions of dollars of narcotics money coming back into the pockets of
these Cartel de los Soles members, generals, judges, police officers, a variety of potpourri of individuals that are in this country that are
gaining and profiting from the illicit drug trade.
[14:35:00]
But it's more than that, because we also have criminals that are fleeing to Venezuela to hide and shelter underneath the umbrella and protection of the
Venezuelan authorities, and they pay for that protection.
SOARES: So, you know, you know this better than most of us, former DEA agent, you know, Venezuela as well and how it operates. So, just help us
understand the hierarchy here because, you know, the United States says that Maduro managers and leads the Cartel de los Soles. Do we know the
hierarchy of this? Yes, generals are involved, I hear you. Do we know if Maduro is part of this or clearly benefiting from this if it goes
(INAUDIBLE) generals, right?
TABOR: Yes. Listen, I've met with many of these members of the Cartel de los Soles when I was the country attache in Venezuela for DEA. And I'm
telling you, I've seen it with my own eyes, and this goes to the very top.
Now, when you talk about structure, we're not talking about Nicolas Madura is telling a Cartel de los Soles member, maybe a lieutenant or a comandante
at the police force or something like that to do things. But what we have is a flowing of information actual environment that's permissive in this
country to allow it to happen. And you have favors and money flowing in lateral and upward positions.
And there's no question about it, Nicolas Maduro knows what's happening, he's allowing it to happen, and there are instructions coming from
Miraflores, which is their White House. I'm just telling you, I've seen it, I know it, I've investigated it, and that's what's happening.
SOARES: And very briefly, because we're running out of time. Is then the aim to try and weaken Maduro, of course, if he's being lifted up and --
with by financing from drug trafficking? And what would the impact of this be if these attacks continue? You would have to consistently attract this
infrastructure in order to try and weaken him, would it not? Because we've -- we tried the diplomacy angle so many times, the pressure so many times
and that didn't dislodge him.
TABOR: You know, we have to really bifurcate what's happening here. We have the government structure and then we have the criminal structure. So,
the narco traffickers have an environment that they're freely flowing the drugs through, whether it be the far terrorists, whether we have other
elements that are of a terroristic nature or narco trafficking nature.
And even though there may not be communicating effectively at the time when they're launching these vessels or something of that nature, all that
environment leads back to the environment of go ahead and do what you have to do as long as the money comes back to us. The pressure is building on
Nicolas Maduro because he has a $50 million reward for him. $50 million. We've never heard of this before. It's more than Osama bin Laden and very
few news organizations are really talking about that.
And I think what we're going to see is this, if I had the crystal ball in front of me, we're going to see so much pressure on Nicolas Madura. There's
going to be a collapse within, because I think they're going to throw him out with the fish in the sea that have unfortunately come belly up due to
the bomb and the boats, right. So, I think that's what's going to happen in the near future.
We have military assets off the coast. We're blocking those boats that are leaving Venezuela full of laden (ph), cocaine, heroin, and other things,
and you're going to cut off that money, and the pressure's going to be too much. That's the strategy I believe the administration is taking.
SOARES: Well, as you heard, and many people don't want war, but they would, as you well know, Wesley. and I well know, would want to see Nicolas
Madura no longer in power following that election, of course, that many say that he stole. Thank you very much, Wesley. Appreciate it. Great to get
your insight on this. Really valuable information there and insight. Thank you.
And still to come tonight, pageantry and power on full display in Beijing. China unveils its newest weapons amid its vision of a new world order.
While the Russian president strengthens his international ties, Moscow launches hundreds of drones towards Ukraine. Details ahead on how Kyiv's
allies are responding. That is next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:40:00]
SOARES: Well, Beijing is sending a clear message to the west, very likely one directly intended for U.S. President Donald Trump. China is never
intimidated by bullies. China today holding a massive parade to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. But make no mistake, the
headliner at this show was the stunning display of military might. And that show of force coupled with this extraordinary show of defiant authoritarian
strength.
Chinese Leader Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un standing shoulder to shoulder there in public for the
first time. Mr. Xi's vision of a new world order. Consider that message received by President Trump.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: I thought it was a beautiful ceremony. I thought it was very, very impressive. But I understood the reason they were
doing it, and they were hoping I was watching and I was watching. My relationship with all of them is very good. We're going to find out how
good it is over the next week or two.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: Well, Mr. Trump likely referring to his Russian counterparts. Next move, of course, regarding the war in Ukraine. We'll have much more than
that in about five minutes or so. Let's get more on this. CNN's Marc Stewart who has been now from Beijing.
So, Marc, I mean, that was some pretty impressive military hardware on show -- a show there. Look, a parade that was honoring China's past, but really
did give us a glimpse of its future. What was the message it's trying to convey there?
MARC STEWART, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Right, Isa. And there's so many messages. There's so much symbolism, so many strong optics. But I think the big
takeaway is that this was a chance for China and many of its supporters, such as North Korea and Russia, to really put the U.S. on notice, to let
the world know that these traditional western alliances, things like NATO and just overall American dominance, it doesn't have the strength or
relevance that perhaps it once had in the past, that's the message that China is trying to send.
And what we saw here, it was quite extraordinary, was really visual validation for China that it could be, or it would be the leader of this
new world order. I just briefly want to touch on some of this military hardware because it really was impressive to see all of this going through
the streets of Beijing, a city of 21 million people, in front of Tiananmen Square, which has so much history attached to it.
[14:45:00]
But we saw, I'm just looking at the list here, inner ballistic missiles. We saw armored vehicles. We actually saw some lasers that were mounted -- that
could be mounted, you know, either on aircraft or on naval type ships which would use microwaves to try to disable different targets. A way for China
to show some strength.
But the strength goes beyond just the weaponry. As you mentioned, this guest list includes people -- included people such as Vladimir Putin, North
Korean Leader Kim Jong Un, the president of Iran. To see all of them together, it gives China some credibility in addition to this military
force. And what we have seen throughout the last few days, because there was a big security related conference earlier, is relationships form,
including today, we saw Kim Jong Un meet with Vladimir Putin. They spent a lot of time together. In fact, it ended with Kim Jong Un receiving an
invitation to go to Russia.
Kim Jong Un, we believe, is still here in China, Isa. It's going to be interesting to see if he and Xi Jinping have a meeting themselves. We'll
just have to see.
SOARES: Yes. And of course, them two meeting, of course, allies when it comes to the war in Ukraine. Marc, always wonderful to see you. Come back
more often. I know it's very early for you, but we're very grateful to see you. Thanks, Marc.
STEWART: My pleasure.
SOARES: And still to come tonight, President Zelenskyy and Macron are meeting tonight about the war in Ukraine, as we were just discussing. We're
live for you in Paris with all the details. That's next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SOARES: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is in Paris ahead of a Coalition of the Willing Summit that's set for Thursday. And it appears he
has already made significant diplomatic progress. Just a short time ago, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that security guarantees for
Ukraine are now ready and will be endorsed at the summit, and it comes after Moscow launched a sweeping air attack on Ukraine overnight.
Yes, there's the familiar sound of air raid sirens filling the night across a number of cities, including Kyiv. Ukraine says its air defenses shot down
most of the Russian drones and missiles, though some manage, as you can see there, to hit their targets.
[14:50:00]
I want to bring in Senior International Correspondent Melissa Bell live for us in Paris. So, Melissa, what more do we know this so about these security
guarantees?
MELISSA BELL, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, we're going to hear more about them on Thursday when this Coalition of the Willing,
remember, these allies of Ukraine that began this group back in February, meet again, this time at the request of President Zelenskyy. I think in the
context of what we've been seeing over in China and those meetings, the passing of the deadline for President Zelenskyy and President Putin to
meet, according to President Trump, and a need to show some unity and force.
The idea is that they will outline together, when all these leaders meet, and we're talking about 30 or so countries, it includes also the United --
the -- NATO, I'm sorry, and the European Commission. We're going to hear more precisely about what is going to be pledged to Ukraine. We understand
from a French presidential source that what we're talking about is ongoing continued support to Ukraine's military even as war continues beyond any
potential ceasefire, the idea of what they're calling a reassurance force made up of western troops that will be there to show Russia strategically
that they're willing to defend Ukraine.
But a lot of attention will be on the phone call that these leaders, this Coalition of the Willing, will have on Thursday with President Trump,
because many of them have said that the security guarantees they're willing to put up depend on the idea of American backstop. We'd heard President
Trump telling them just a few -- a couple of weeks ago that they will be such a thing. They're looking for things like a pledge that America will
continue to help with Ukraine's air defenses, potentially also intelligence sharing.
This, Isa, is what the French president had to say tonight as he welcomed the Ukrainian president.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
EMMANUEL MACRON, FRENCH PRESIDENT (through translator): My only message this evening is the extremely intense work of the last few weeks, and to
tell you indeed that we are ready for these security guarantees, that Europe is stepping up for the first time with this level of commitment and
intensity, because the security of Ukraine and Ukrainians for today and for tomorrow is also our in that of Europe. Thank you to President Zelenskyy
for being here this evening.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BELL: Basically. this group has been working on the technical details of these security guarantees that we will hear more about tomorrow. But
really, the idea of this meeting is bringing those leaders together to say that it is ready to provide help to Ukraine. The question now, what the
United States is prepared to do, Isa.
SOARES: Indeed, that will be the question. Melissa, good to see you. Thank you very much indeed. We are going to take a short break. We'll see you on
the other side.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:55:00]
SOARES: We are monitoring, as you can see, a breaking story out of Portugal, out of Lisbon, to be more precise, where one of the country's
most iconic -- Lisbon's most iconic funicular trains has derailed and has crashed. You are looking at live images we are bringing to you from our CNN
Portugal. And we understand from Reuters -- only need from CNN Portugal that at least three people have been killed and around 20 others are
injured, and that is according to emergency services on the scene.
The cable railway, if you've been to Lisbon, is incredibly popular with tourists. And this route connects the downtown of Lisbon all the way to the
very steep hills, of course, of the Miradouro de Alcantara. We'll stay across the breaking news for you. Very concerning, of course, for so many.
It can take, from I understand, up to 42 passengers. And it's one of the oldest funiculars of the country as, of course, as well known for taking
the root of the steepest hills. We'll stay across that breaking news for us.
Max Foster has much more with "What We Know," that's next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[15:00:00]
END
