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Isa Soares Tonight
Vice President Vance Answers Questions Over Renee Nicole's Death and U.S. Operations in Venezuela; Senate Advances Measure to Curb Trump's Venezuela War Powers; Pro-Maduro Protesters Demand Release of Maduro. Immigration Crackdown Stokes Fear Among Minnesota Latinos; Senate Advances to Measure Curb Trump's Venezuela War Powers; At least 45 killed, Including Eight Children in Iran. Aired 2-3p ET
Aired January 08, 2026 - 14:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[14:00:00]
JAMES DAVID VANCE, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Long time, I'm very proud of that. I think it suggests -- I think it suggests that the
team works very well together. Well, looking ahead, what is my role? Look, my role is going to be whatever the President asks me to do.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Does he have something, yes?
VANCE: Well, every single -- or I should say, every other day I'm chairing the meeting that we do on this among White House principals to talk about
next steps, to try to ensure that Venezuela is stable. And as the President has directed us to do, to ensure that the new Venezuelan government
actually listens to the United States and does what the United States needs it to do, under our country's best interest.
So, I'm going to be as involved as the President wants me to be. So far, that's been very involved, and I'll keep on doing that so long as the
President ask me to do it.
(CROSSTALK)
VANCE: In the purple.
(CROSSTALK)
VANCE: Sorry, purple, and then we'll go pink or whatever that is in front.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Royal purple and then beige. All right.
VANCE: OK --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Are there any indications -- you talked about the network. Are there any indications that the lady who was shot -- I know
there are different reports from Neville(ph). Her wife said they were new to the area. Are there any indications she may have been a paid agitator,
or maybe that there were others that were brought to the area considering everything that's going on in Minneapolis?
VANCE: I wouldn't say that she was paid. I don't have the evidence to say that one way or the other. What I do know is that she was violating the
law. And if you just look at the eyewitness accounts, they were saying she was there to prevent the enforcement of the law.
She was trying to obstruct a legitimate law enforcement operation. That much is obviously clear. The rest of it, of course, is part of the reason
why we investigate this stuff.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. Vice President, even beyond the war powers resolution today, Congress has backed President Trump on issues like
tariffs. Are you concerned that President Trump is losing his grip on Republicans in the Congress? And what are you going to do about it?
VANCE: No, I'm not concerned at all. First of all, you know, we talked to some of the senators who are going to vote the wrong way, in my view, on
this resolution today. Much of their argument was based more on a legal technicality than any disagreement in policy.
If you look at the people who actually voted, every single one of them have supported the administration's plan. Second of all, as the President, I
believe himself has already said, every President, Democrat or Republican, believes the War Powers Act is fundamentally a fake and unconstitutional
law.
It's not going to change anything about how we conduct foreign policy over the next couple of weeks, the next couple of months, and that will continue
to be how we approach things. Go ahead.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Vice President, so, we are seeing regarding Iran. We are seeing the protests in Iran these days. The cities are begging for help
from the U.S. and Israel, naming streets in the city after President Trump. It seems there is an opportunity here that may not come again.
Will the United States stand by the citizens of Iran? And if Israel decides to strike again the nuclear sites in Iran. Is the U.S. expected to take
part?
VANCE: Well, look, we certainly stand by anybody who is engaged in peaceful protests. Anybody who is trying to exert their rights for free
association and to have their voices heard, obviously, the Iranian regime has a lot of problems.
And as the President of the United States has said, the smartest thing for them to have done -- it was true two months ago, it's true today, is for
them to actually have a real negotiation with the United States about what we need to see when it comes to their nuclear program.
I'll let the President speak to what we're going to do in the future, but we certainly stand with anybody across the world, including the Iranian
people, who are advocating for their rights. I'll take just a couple more questions.
(CROSSTALK)
VANCE: Yes, go ahead --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you very much, Mr. President -- Vice President. Concerning Venezuela, how would you assure the Caribbean region that they
will remain a zone of peace because some member --
VANCE: Sure --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: States in the region are concerned?
VANCE: Well, look, the President had a very productive phone call with the President of Colombia yesterday, and we continue to talk at all levels of
government with a number of our friends in the Caribbean region.
I actually think this is really good for peace in the Caribbean, because when you take away a major source of illegal cartel revenue, which is the
cocaine trade, the fentanyl trade, other sources of illicit revenue, you actually remove the power of one of the main destabilizing forces in Latin
America and in the Caribbean.
I really do think -- look, we say it all the time. This is the President of peace. One of the ways that you establish peace in your own hemisphere is
to make it clear that the United States is going to be respected, that the United States is willing to take power away from criminal cartel
organizations and give it to legitimate governments.
That's how we see the future of the western hemisphere, and we think it's going to be much more peaceful than it was certainly under Joe Biden. I'll
take one more question. Go ahead.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. Vice President, thank you. On Greenland, do you have a message for European leaders? Many in Europe reject the idea that
the island could be for sale.
VANCE: Well, first of all, Secretary Rubio, I believe, is meeting with the leaders of Denmark and Greenland next week. I want to say it is, but maybe
it's the week after that. We'll continue to deliver some of these messages in private, some of them in public.
But I guess my advice to European leaders and anybody else would be to take the President of the United States seriously. What has he said about
Greenland? Set to the side the crazy overreactions that I've seen from the press and from certain people in Europe. What has the President said?
[14:05:00]
Number one, Greenland is really important, not just to America's missile defense, but to the world's missile defense. Number two, we know that there
are hostile adversaries that have shown a lot of interest in that particular territory, that particular slice of the world.
So, what we're asking our European friends to do, is to take the security of that land mass more seriously, because if they're not, the United States
is going to have to do something about it. What that is, I'll leave that to the President as we continue to engage in diplomacy with our European
friends and everybody on this particular topic.
And again, thank you all for listening, thanks for taking questions, and I just ask you, look, this is politics, and often, Republicans and -- you
know, get in arguments with the press about things. I understand that. I think it's really irresponsible for you guys to go out there and imply or
tell the American people that a guy who defended himself from being rammed by an automobile is guilty of murder.
Be a little more careful. We want to talk about toning down the temperature, which I know the President wants to do, and I certainly want
to do. One of the ways we tone down the temperature is to have a media that tells the truth. I encourage you all to do that. God bless you.
(CROSSTALK)
KATE BOLDUAN, CNN NEWSROOM: All right, we are listening there to Vice President J.D. Vance, who vehemently blamed Renee --
MAX FOSTER, HOST, ISA SOARES TONIGHT: OK, we're just going to cut there from my colleague over there in the U.S., I'm in for Isa Soares. Tonight,
we are beginning then in Minnesota, you heard J.D. Vance speaking there about that extensively, anger really building up in the twin cities today
over the fatal shooting of a woman by a U.S. immigration officer, federal agents earlier clashing with protests.
You see one man being taken into custody, at one point, pepper spray was used to disperse the crowds there. State officials say they've now been
blocked for investigating the shooting, with the FBI taking control of the case. Trump administration officials blaming the victim, Vice President
J.D. Vance insisting the ICE agent fired in self-defense.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VANCE: The simple fact is, what you see is what you get in this case. You have a woman who is trying to obstruct a legitimate law enforcement
operation. Nobody debates that. You have a woman who aimed her car at a law enforcement officer and pressed on the accelerator. Nobody debates that.
I can believe that her death is a tragedy, while also recognizing that it's a tragedy of her own making.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FOSTER: Well, we do actually have new video to show you from a different angle. We want to caution viewers that it is disturbing to see. Multiple
videos of the shooting reviewed by CNN show nuance, and what took place before the shooting actually remains quite unclear, so we don't have the
full context here.
We are learning about the victim Renee Nicole Good; a U.S. citizen, she was 37 years old, a mother of three, and had just dropped her 6-year-old son
off to school moments before she was shot. This is how a former neighbor described her.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOAN ROSE, FORMER NEIGHBOR OF WOMAN KILLED IN ICE incident: A neighbor who, you know is not a terrorist, not an extremist. That was just a mom who
loved her kids, loved her spouse.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FOSTER: A Homeland Security official tells CNN, the officer who shot Good has ten years of experience dealing with the arrest and deportation of
undocumented immigrants. Correspondent Alayna Treene is at the White House for us. Whitney Wild is following developments from Minneapolis.
I'm going to go to you first, Alayna, because we've just heard from J.D. Vance, and he's giving the government line, and he's very much pointing the
finger of blame at the far left. Am I right?
ALAYNA TREENE, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: That's right, and also at the media, I should say, not for what led to this, but he had very fiery words
for what he said was media coverage that he believed was not accurately depicting what happened yesterday.
He cited one headline, I should note by CNN, that said that there was outrage ensuing after the shooting, and he said that is not the right way
to describe it. Look, he very fiercely -- and this is in line with what we've seen now from several of the top officials here in the
administration, including the Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem.
But also President Trump himself coming out very early and very emphatically to defend the ICE agent who fired that weapon and fatally shot
37-year-old Renee Good, a U.S. citizen. Now, Vance went on to claim a lot, as you mentioned, including this idea that he blames the radical left, the
far left, for creating a narrative that he argued made it easier and more acceptable for people to turn agitation toward ICE and to try, in his
words, you know, prevent law enforcement and particularly ICE, from doing their job.
Now, I will say there are several back and forth. Vance did take several questions from reporters, many of whom acknowledged that the
investigations, both at the local level, but at the federal level, are only just beginning. And that, there's not a lot of information yet to really
draw these types of conclusions.
[14:10:00]
One reporter asked Vance, you know, you said that she was part of this radical left network, or that this shooting is to blame -- is to blame on a
radical left network. What evidence do you have to back that up? And he said, look, we're still looking into this. We have to get more facts.
And so, there was some nuance there, of course, but by and far, the message that he wanted to deliver on all of this, he put it very much at the top.
He said, I stand with ICE, the President stands with ICE. We stand with America's law enforcement.
And so, that is the line we are now hearing, not only from Vance, of course, but from other officials. And they want to make that very clear
today as we're still trying to get a better picture of what exactly happened on the ground in Minneapolis.
FOSTER: Alayna, thank you. Whitney, how is that going to go down where you are, because there's a lot of suspicion that this wasn't done in self-
defense on the ground if I'm right?
WHITNEY WILD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely. I think that when people hear what the Department of Homeland Security says happened, they patently do
not believe it. They have a completely different view of what is the same material of the same video.
They look at this completely differently. And I think what is important to remember here is that this is a city that has already lived through George
Floyd in the aftermath of that. This is a city that has worked really hard to rebuild. But let's not forget, George Floyd started with something that
was not true.
And so, there's a lot of suspicion here when you have these critical incidents. A lot of suspicion among people who live here about what the
initial narrative is, especially when they have video that they think contradicts that narrative. And what to them represents a completely
different set of facts.
Here on the ground, there is a growing crowd here to pay respects to Renee Nicole Good. Let me walk you through the crowd here. It gets small, it gets
big. Right now there are dozens of people here, possibly more than 100. And let me show you what they're here to do.
They are here to lay flowers where she spent her last moments on earth. This is the very spot where her car crashed. Underneath the snow is her
blood. We saw that yesterday. Flowers now cover that spot, dozens of candles cover that spot. There's one note here that I can read for you.
It says "Renee Nicole Good, so senseless, so unnecessary. Thank you for trying to do what you felt was right in a time of so much wrong." These are
the messages that are left. One person saying, "I don't know you, but this situation feels familiar."
This is a vigil created by dozens and dozens of people who did not know Renee Nicole Good, and yet feel her story and don't want this moment to
pass and are doing what they can to make sure that her memory is important, that her life was important, and that, that memory stretches beyond
tomorrow, next week, and on into the future. Max?
FOSTER: And the people there are getting lots of support, aren't they, from the local authorities who are furious that they've been frozen out of
the investigation now?
WILD: That's right. We heard from Governor Tim Walz earlier. We heard from the Department of Public Safety Commissioner here. They are saying -- you
know, they've been pushed out of this investigation. They would not definitively say that they won't do their own investigation. They can still
do that.
There is nothing to stop them from talking to witnesses, collecting evidence from the ground here, talking to Minneapolis law enforcement,
Minneapolis, Hennepin County Sheriff's office, for example, the Minneapolis Police Department, I mean, they can do an investigation.
But when reporters pushed them on doing that, they were basically saying, look, because we've been pushed out of this investigation, we have access -
- we do not have access to the most critical evidence. And so, the quote from the DPS Commissioner was, it would be very difficult, if not
impossible, to conduct a thorough investigation that would meet the standards that Minnesotans expect and demand and are entitled to.
So, that's where they are. And Governor Walz had pretty stark words for that. I mean, he said that he thought it would be really difficult for
Minnesotans to accept the result of the investigation if Minnesota is pushed out of that. Although, Max, I think it is important to also consider
this.
DPS Commissioner also acknowledged it is rare that the state would conduct a joint investigation in a federal law enforcement shooting. He acquiesced
that most of the time, that generally speaking, the federal law enforcement does conduct that virtually on their own.
But in this case, they felt like it was so critical for Minnesotans trust that they'd be involved in this investigation. And at first, that was what
-- Minn was. And then quickly, DOJ reversed course, took it over entirely on their own. Max.
FOSTER: OK, Whitney, thank you so much for joining us on the scene there, also, Alayna from the White House. Let's bring in former police chief of
Minneapolis, Medaria Arradondo. Thank you so much for joining us. Just on what Whitney was saying there, I mean, what is the form if a federal
officer is involved in an incident like this, who should be investigating it? Is it so unusual for the FBI to take over completely?
[14:15:00]
MEDARIA ARRADONDO, FORMER MINNEAPOLIS POLICE CHIEF: Yes. Max, that's a great question. Federal agencies have actually conducted numerous times
their own investigations when one of their employees has been involved in what we call a critical incident.
What's different about this, though, Max, is obviously, those federal agents were brought in. They were doing these immigration operations within
city limits, within the city of Minneapolis. And because of, again, as Alayna mentioned, because of the trust issue, they just felt it was better
to also be having a co-investigator with the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.
They've done these investigations, Max, quite remarkably. You probably know that they also were the lead investigators when we had our political
assassinations last year, they did the Annunciation school shooting investigation. And so, they were brought in as of yesterday, to be co-
investigators.
But now to basically be denied critical evidence and materials of this investigation, Commissioner of Public Safety Bob Jacobson said we can't
really do a thorough investigation if we're not going to have that access. And so, you know, Max, my concern is with a community that tensions are
certainly high.
And there's this lack of trust. If people do not trust the process, the outcome is not going to matter. And so, that's -- you know, that's
concerning. Obviously, it was, you know, breaking news from CNN earlier today. But if the BCA is no longer going to be a part of this, regardless
of what the outcome is, Max, are the -- are those impacted by this, are they going to trust the outcome?
FOSTER: Now, the governor implying that the Homeland Security Secretary is the judge, the jury and the executioner in this case, because she's
speaking in such clear terms about the guilt of the woman involved, and the investigation hasn't been carried out yet. Is that something that concerns
you or can you understand where she's coming from?
ARRADONDO: Yes, I think that any time that you have such a high profile tragic incident like this here, not only for Miss Good who was shot and
killed yesterday, but even those law enforcement with ICE. I mean, having these statements come out where there's -- it appears, Max, that there's
these definitive statements that there was no wrongdoing.
Without an investigation completed, we're not even 48 hours into this. It is problematic. And again, at the end of the day, people want basically,
they want the truth. Now, again, the outcome may not be what they had envisioned, but if they at least trust the process, that's going to be so
critically important.
As you also know, and it was mentioned earlier, you know, when George Floyd was killed, the initial public statement was not the accurate one. And so,
an investigation, a thorough complete investigation needs to take place. But it also needs to be transparent.
And that's what the community is going to judge it on ultimately, regardless of what the outcome is. Was it transparent? Was it thorough? And
was everyone who was involved initially getting the evidence and materials that they needed to conduct this?
FOSTER: Former police chief of Minneapolis, Medaria Arradondo, thank you very much indeed for joining us today. I know it's a very difficult time
for your city. Now to a stunning statement from France's President, who says the U.S. is moving away from some of its closest allies and could
create major new divisions on the world stage.
Emmanuel Macron spoke after the White House said President Trump is discussing a range of options to acquire Greenland, potentially including
military force. The U.S. insists the Danish territory is vital for its national security and also considering a financial acquisition. President
Macron said the move risks upending the global order.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
EMMANUEL MACRON, PRESIDENT, FRANCE (through translator): We live in a world of great power with a real temptation to divide up the world. And I
believe what has happened in recent months or even in recent days has done nothing to change this observation.
And so, that is the great risk to the international order in which we live. The United States is an established power, but one that is gradually
turning away from some of its allies and breaking free from the international rules that until recently it was promoting.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FOSTER: Well, uncertainty continues to shadow the fate of Venezuela's political transition. President Trump tells the "New York Times" that only
one -- only time, rather, will tell how long the U.S. will stay in control of the South American nation.
[14:20:00]
Few details are known about Washington's long-term strategy, but a handful of Senate Republicans are already working with Democrats to attempt to curb
the U.S. President's powers there. They've advanced a resolution to limit U.S. military force without the approval of Congress.
The vote on the full measure expected to pass next week. In Venezuela, pro- Maduro protesters are on the streets of the capital demanding the release of the former President. Interim President Delcy Rodriguez insists her
country is not at war with the U.S. after a raid captured former President Nicolas Maduro over the weekend.
These are the scenes playing out as I speak. Instead, she is welcoming energy partnerships with Washington. In a further conciliatory move from
Venezuela's government, the National Assembly President has announced a significant number of political prisoners will be released.
Neighboring Colombia, meanwhile, trying to resolve its own crisis with Washington. Colombia's Foreign Minister says a call between President
Gustavo Petro and President Trump was a very respectful dialogue, and that the Colombian leader has been invited to the White House.
The invitation is a sharp change in tone towards Bogota. Mr. Trump recently threatened President Petro to watch himself and accused him of ties to drug
trafficking. Mr. Petro has condemned Maduro's capture, and earlier, threats by the White House have fanned anti-U.S. sentiments in Colombia.
Some attendees carrying anti-imperialist signs at a rally on Wednesday you can see there. Stefano Pozzebon is following those developments from
Bogota, Colombia. I mean, it would be extraordinary if there was a move on Colombia as well, but it seems the two leaders are at least talking.
STEFANO POZZEBON, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Yes, Maxwell. Well, the -- I think that the speech yesterday from Gustavo Petro here in Colombia and the subsequent
tweet, or actually I should say post on X from the White House is pushing the prospect of a U.S. intervention here in Colombia, at least farther and
farther down the road with Donald Trump even calling a positive phone call with the Colombian President.
But today, Max, I want to bring your attention to, once again, Caracas, which is clearly the core of the news coming out of the region today with
at least, a breaking news, saying that dozens, if not even hundreds of political prisoners are being released from the jails of the Bolivarian
government.
We have had confirmation from the Spanish Foreign Minister that at least, the five Spanish citizens among whom was a dual citizen, human rights
activist Rocio San Miguel are among the released. And of course, conciliarist and other governments from across the European Union are
tracking these developments very closely.
Because we know that there are dozens of foreigners that have been apprehended for political reasons in the last few months and years in
Caracas. One thing that I want to bring to you, however, is a speech from Delcy Rodrguez, who is right now the most powerful person inside Venezuela.
She's the acting president. She took over from Nicolas Maduro when he was apprehended by the political -- by the U.S. forces yesterday. Delcy
Rodrguez welcomed to the presidential palace, a commission of the National Assembly. And in welcoming her, she had these words to say that I want you
to pay very close attention to. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DELCY RODRIGUEZ, PRESIDENT, VENEZUELA (through translator): I want to welcome you to a new political moment for our country. A political moment
in which we have the highest awareness of what Venezuela's sovereignty means, our territorial integrity and national independence, which are
superior virtues of a republic, superior and above any national public authority.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
POZZEBON: Delcy Rodrguez, they are talking openly of a new political movement in Caracas, a new political moment to describe the Venezuelan
political history. If that doesn't sound to you as someone who is very keen to turn the page from the experience of her predecessor, Nicolas Maduro,
well, I don't know what else we can bring you.
It's -- the clear sense out of Caracas is that Delcy Rodrguez is all too keen in starting a new relationship with the White House and with Donald
Trump, in particular, himself, with a blank page. Starting anew, saying that this is a new Venezuela that is speaking directly to the United States
on terms of energy cooperation, exports of crude oil.
We know that there have been several meetings in the last few days and hours between officials from the White House and officials from Delcy
Rodrguez and entourage trying again to open a new season and a new Venezuela to foreign investment coming down from Washington. Max?
[14:25:00]
FOSTER: Stefano, thank you. Just watching those live pictures as well of pro-Maduro protesters very much sticking up for their man on the streets
there, and pretty significant numbers as well. Still to come tonight, how Mexico's oil exports to Cuba could create another impasse with the U.S.
And later, Latinos in Minneapolis describe fear in their community after deadly shooting by ICE and an immigration crackdown. Maria Santana will
have their concerns just ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
FOSTER: We continue to follow the events out of Minnesota for you. Wednesday's deadly shooting by an ICE officer has sparked protests across
the state and beyond. The Department of Homeland Security says the victim rammed her vehicle into an agent trying to stop her.
But Governor Tim Walz says the agent's actions were unlawful. He also expressed doubt over a fair investigation. The ramped up presence of
federal agents in the twin cities came amid an immigration crackdown launched by the White House, many Latinos in the area say they're afraid
about what comes next.
CNN's Maria Santana joins us live from Minneapolis. And you've been speaking to many of them, Maria.
MARIA SANTANA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, that's right. There's a lot of anger, a lot of outrage, but also a lot of sadness and fear here in
Minneapolis, especially amongst Latinos. I just want to show you what's going on around me. This is a vigil that has been growing ever since last
night.
There are candles, there are flowers, there are messages for 37-year-old Renee Good, who lost her life after being shot by this ICE agent. And if
you look at the crowd, people have been also coming here all day. There were protests last night, but today, Latinos included.
They've been coming here to pray, to express their condolences and to express, you know, the anger that they feel at what has been going on here
in Minneapolis. Tension that has been growing for weeks as the Trump administration has been cracking down on immigrants and increasing the
number of agents that it has been sending here to Minneapolis.
Let's listen to what one Latino resident of this city told me about, you know, what he has to do now. He's fearful of even going out, even though he
is a U.S. citizen. Let's listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ABNER CASTILLO, MINNEAPOLIS RESIDENT: There is no water. We can't describe what's happening after the President get re-elected again.
Now, I'm concerned every single day when I leave the house. I have to carry on my U.S. passport because I'm afraid someday they're going to pull over
me and they're going to take me. It's a human being. We're no animals. We're no animals. We are a human being. We deserve to treat -- they have to
treat us like human beings, not like animals.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MARIA SANTANA, CNN REPORTER: And many people here, witnesses to this event, have told me that they dispute, they are pushing back against what
officials of the Trump administration are saying. We just heard J.D. Vance say without evidence that this woman was a member of a far-left group that
has been coming out to try to stop the actions of ICE and to agitate and provoke. But residents here say that is not the case. She was trying to
drive away from them.
But look at this scene. These are people that are preparing to stay here through the night. They have a fire going, they have food, they have drinks
for any people and anyone that wants to come here and protest what just happened. There are protests planned for later tonight here and in other
cities across the U.S. Max.
MAX FOSTER, CNN ANCHOR: Maria Santana, really appreciate it. Thank you for joining us from Minneapolis.
Still to come tonight, as Venezuelan oil faces an uncertain future. Another country keeps sending fuel to Cuba.
Also, ahead, how Nicolas Maduro's capture could transform Latin America. I'll speak with a foreign affairs expert.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
FOSTER: There's been a notable rebuke to the White House. A handful of U.S. Senate Republicans have joined Democrats in advancing a check on
President Donald Trump's war powers. The resolution would limit future U.S. military force in Venezuela without congressional approval. The measure is
expected to pass next week.
In Caracas, the president of Venezuela's legislature says the government has decided to release what he called a significant number of political
prisoners. Those being held reportedly include Americans. Spain says at least five of its citizens have been released.
[14:35:00]
As the U.S. seizes tankers and looks for ways to control Venezuelan oil, Mexico is emerging as a key fuel supplier to Cuba, as Valeria Leon reports.
It's become an important lifeline as the Caribbean island battles an energy crisis.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
VALERIA LEON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): After several attempts, Helene (ph) walked out from her native Cuba, an island marked by rolling
blackouts. Now, in Mexico, the memory of those long nights stays with her.
She explains that blackouts have always been part of life in Cuba, but says that since 2019, they started to last entire days. And when the pandemic
hit, things got even worse.
The crisis didn't just turn off the lights. It closed doors. With the U.S. capture of Nicolas Maduro, Venezuelan oil aid to Cuba was cut off, making
Mexico's help with fuel to the island essential.
In 2025, Mexico sent more than 12,000 barrels a day to Cuba, nearly half of the island's crude consumption.
DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT: I think it's just going to fall. I don't think we need any action. It looks like it's going down. It's going down
for the count.
LEON (voice-over): President Claudia Sheinbaum defending Mexico's oil shipments, saying that for years, oil has been sent to Cuba under contracts
and as humanitarian aid.
The impact isn't just diplomatic. Energy analysts said these shipments are valuable and could affect Mexico's own drilling domestic supply.
Jaime Britto (ph) estimated that last year about 15 ships were sent to Cuba between May and June, adding that this amounts to roughly 10 million
barrels of crude, worth close to $800 million.
Still, experts in the region see a huge risk for Mexico in its current Cuba policy.
Ricardo Pascoe (ph) said Mexico's oil support for Cuba is worth billions and directly clashes with Washington's push for influence in Latin America.
And yet, Helene (ph) points to what she calls a contradiction. Even with the steady supply of Mexican oil to Cuban shores, the energy crisis hasn't
let up. She argues that Mexico's help ends up favoring the regime, not the people. As the flow of oil continues, so does the pressure as energy
becomes a new frontline in the region's power struggle.
Valeria Leon, CNN, Mexico City.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
FOSTER: Will Freeman joins us from New York. He's a fellow for Latin American studies at the Council on Foreign Relations. Thank you so much for
joining us.
WILL FREEMAN, FELLOW FOR LATIN AMERICA STUDIES, COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS: My pleasure.
FOSTER: First of all, what do you make of this moving Congress, particularly the Republicans, trying to effectively limit Donald Trump's
powers on Venezuela?
FREEMAN: Well, it shows that in the United States, there's a lot of skepticism about what Trump is trying to do here. I think there's alarm
over the fact that he says, we don't know how long we'll be intervening or, quote/unquote, "running Venezuela." It could be years, I think he said this
morning.
So, you're seeing that that's not only alarming Democrats, it's also alarming these five Republican senators who joined the vote. But I am
skeptical that even if the resolution passes, that it will hold this administration back. Clearly, it's an administration that has shown a
willingness to engage in this very muscular foreign policy and is making a commitment to Venezuela right now. I don't know how you want that back.
FOSTER: Will it limit him, do you think, going on past experience?
FREEMAN: Pardon?
FOSTER: Will it limit him going on past experience? Because he's bypassed Congress on so many other things, hasn't he?
FREEMAN: Yes, this is true. I mean, that's my skepticism. You know, I think you're also seeing that there's a, to some extent, both Republicans
and Democrats are responding to the skepticism of the U.S. public. You have only 37 percent of Americans who say they support the operation after it
was successfully concluded. So, that's why I think we're seeing this. I'm not sure it's going to slow them down.
FOSTER: No. And in terms of Colombia, there's concern that some of the language Trump's been using against Venezuela is being used against
Colombia now. But we do know that Petro's planning to speak to President Trump. The two men don't, you know, they've had very strong words about
each other. Do you think they can find a way of working through this?
FREEMAN: I'm as puzzled as anyone else right now, because President Trump, since the 2020 campaign, at least, has been bashing Petro in Colombia. This
was before Petro was even elected president, say, reminding audiences that he was once an armed militant in a leftist insurgency himself, before he
put down his weapons and joined peaceful politics.
[14:40:00]
You know, he's bashed Petro as a sick man, as a narco-trafficker, says that he's fabricating cocaine and sending it to the United States, and it
strikes him Colombia could be next.
So, we've had this steady drumbeat of this kind of rhetoric. And then all of a sudden, in the space of 12 hours, they had some kind of magical phone
call. They're both posting congratulatory social media posts, and Petro's coming to the White House.
So, I'm -- honestly, I can't tell you, but I'd be surprised if they're able to patch over things this quickly. I mean, we know that Trump could turn on
a dime. He's now friendly with Brazil's President Lula da Silva, who he just slapped tariffs on a few months ago. He, of course, was very friendly
to Zohran Mamdani in that White House visit.
But you know, Petro gets on the nerves of a lot of people in the Trump administration. He's absolutely in Marco Rubio's bad book. He is himself
very unpredictable, angry, easy to upset. And I think he wants a confrontation with Trump ahead of Colombia's 2026 elections, because he
thinks, rightly or wrongly, that it'll help his leftist successor win those elections.
FOSTER: It's all politics, isn't it? If we go to Caracas right now, we can see pro-Maduro protesters out on the street. They seem to be getting more
vocal. How do you read that?
FREEMAN: I mean, you know, one percentage of that is the protests of the Venezuelan population. It's very small. I mean, this is, according to any
reliable polls, Maduro had less than 10 percent approval, was one of the most loathed heads of state in the entire hemisphere. Of course, what
remains of the regime is able to mobilize some people to the streets using coercion, using their subsidies and economic control that they've asserted
over people. And they have some tiny -- you know, infinitely small base of actual popular support. But I don't read much into that.
And in fact, right now, I see the interim president, Delcy Rodriguez, who had been Maduro's VP, she seems weaker than I actually initially
anticipated she would be. Why do I say weaker? Because she's making concessions that seem quite dramatic. She's -- for instance, just -- her
government is now releasing about 100 of the 1,000 or so political prisoners in Venezuela. That's a big concession.
Her brother, an influential lawmaker, just said they're not speaking to "extremists," quote/unquote, which is a clear-veiled reference to other
power centers within the Maduro regime. Instead, they're going to pursue national dialogue, or so they say.
Now, I have no illusions. I don't think Delcy Rodriguez wants democracy, but I think that she is right now feeling very weak, very threatened, feels
that she needs to do a lot of deals with the Trump administration and show both Trump and Marco Rubio that she's willing to play ball.
FREEMAN: OK. Will Freeman, thank you so much. A lot going on in your patch these days.
Still to come tonight, as Iran is swept by protests over its deepening economic crisis, some are drawing parallels with Venezuela over what could
come next. We'll explain when we come back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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FOSTER: At least 45 people have been killed, including eight children, in protests that are sweeping through Iran. That's according to the Norway-
based NGO Iran Human Rights Watch. Millions of Iranians have taken to the streets as they grapple with rising inflation and a plummeting currency. In
response, the government has violently cracked down on demonstrators in the countries currently experiencing a nationwide internet blackout. The
protests have drawn Washington's attention, President Trump threatening on Monday to take action against Iran if authorities kill demonstrators.
Well, as tensions rise, many are pointing to parallels between Iran and Venezuela, both the target of American threats and attacks in the past
year. Jomana Karadsheh joins us now following the story from London. Obviously, we've got this blackout now, so getting information is quite
hard. But before that, it did seem as though there were more incidents spreading across the country, Jomana.
JOMANA KARADSHEH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know, Max, it does seem like these protests now in their 12th day have been spreading like a
wildfire. Every day you start hearing about more and more areas where these protests have spread to. According to activists, they had spread to more
than 110 cities, more than 30 provinces.
And tonight, Max, despite that internet blackout that is being reported nationwide, as we understand, we are still getting video that is trickling
out and you are getting a glimpse into what is happening in the capital, Tehran, and other areas. In Tehran, it does seem right now that large
crowds are taking to the streets in different neighborhoods.
This, as you mentioned, was all sparked by the state of the economy, by shopkeepers in Tehran who were fed up with a plummeting currency, with the
state of the economy, with the rising inflation. And that's what sparked it.
But as we have seen time and time again with protests in Iran, Max, they slowly, pretty quickly really, morph into anti-regime protests, with
protesters calling for an end to the Islamic Republic, to the oppression that they have been living under for more than four decades.
And as we have seen in the past, the regime does use a very heavy hand in trying to suppress these protests. And it has done so time and time again
with what seems to be this endless cycle every few years of these protests. Of course, the most recent Women, Life, Freedom protests that were sparked
by the death of Masah Jina Amini in the custody of the Iranian security forces. And as you remember, the Women, Life, Freedom protests spread
across the country, but they were met with real brutality by the Iranian regime, and they managed to put an end to these protests.
Right now, this is day 12, Max, and 45 people, as you mentioned, according to activists, have been killed. Hundreds have been injured. More than 2,000
have been detained. But up until this point, activists I've been speaking with say that they haven't yet seen a sort of major crackdown pretty fast
by the regime, as they had seen in other instances in the past.
And the feeling is, is that one, you're looking at a weakened Iran after the war with Israel and U.S. strikes last summer, but you also have what is
going on in Venezuela, obviously, and the threat from President Trump saying that if they kill protesters, the U.S. is ready to intervene. So,
that seems to be, according to the activists I've been speaking with, have emboldened a lot of people as well to go out in the streets.
So, very critical time right now in Iran, waiting to see what happens, how the regime is going to respond. Of course, there's always a lot of fear
when you see this sort of communication blackout, and people fear what might be going on when that happens.
FOSTER: I mean, a lot of people have been predicting this moment. I'm just wondering if, from the activists you're speaking to, they feel like this is
their moment, as you say, a weakened regime, but also that crucial support from the U.S.
KARADSHEH: Look, I mean, people don't really know what to make of President Trump's threats. They are not -- you know, people are taking a
huge risk going out on the street, and they have done this in the past without any support, without foreign intervention.
[14:50:00]
But they know that there will be a price to pay, and people at the same time have gotten to the point, and, Max, you hear this time and time again,
Iranians are fed up with the lives that they are -- you know, with their lives right now, whether it's the state of the economy, whether it is the
repression. But they really don't know, at this point, what to make of President Trump's threats.
So, I think we'll have to wait and see, especially as you were seeing what is unfolding tonight. It seems to be a very critical point for Iran right
now.
FOSTER: Just briefly, Donald Trump was saying in a radio interview just a short while ago that he would hit Iran very hard if they killed protesters.
Away from what the activists are thinking, you know, the supreme leader, how will he receive that, do you think? Because as a sign of strength, he
might fight against it, presumably, but also, he's in this very weakened position.
KARADSHEH: Look, I think -- this is the third time, I think, or more, that we've heard from President Trump these threats. This is very much a
weakened Iran. This is an Iran that has seen the U.S. carry out strikes. They have seen what the U.S. has done in Venezuela. So, they are in a very
tough position right now.
If they do not crack down, these protests are only going to grow, Max. But at the same time, what is President Trump going to do? And I don't know if
the Iranian regime really wants to test that right now.
FOSTER: OK. Jomana, appreciate it. Thank you for joining us. We'll be back after a quick break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
FOSTER: Let's return to our top story, a deadly shooting involving a federal immigration agent in Minneapolis. A 37-year-old woman was killed
during an ICE operation yesterday. Authorities say the agent was acting in self-defense, a claim that's been widely disputed by local and state
authorities.
Minnesota officials say they were forced to withdraw from the investigation after the FBI took control of the case. Federal officers pushed their way
into a crowd in Minneapolis earlier before shooting pepper balls. Protesters are condemning the Trump administration's immigration crackdown
and use of deadly force.
[14:55:00]
Minneapolis is also pausing to grieve. Vigils are under way to honor Renee Nicole Good, the woman killed in yesterday's operation. Good was a mother
of three, a poet and a community fixture, with loved ones remembering her as an amazing human being. Federal authorities describe her as a rioter who
was attempting to use her vehicle against officers. Three videos taken of the scene and reviewed by CNN, however, show nuance. This is how
Minneapolis is remembering Renee Nicole Good at the scene of the deadly shooting.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This young lady did not deserve to be killed. And we are heartbroken what's taking place in our city and here in Minneapolis.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I showed up with my friend here who brought the flowers to give flowers to honor her and to honor all of us in struggle and
honor all of us who are resisting.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. Trump, come to Minnesota. We invite you to come here. Where is the terrorist? Is it in the United States, in this
government, or where is it in outside the United States? I think today what happened in here is unacceptable.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FOSTER: The mood on the ground in Minneapolis tonight. Thank you for watching. Stay with CNN. I'll have "What We Know" coming up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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