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Connect the World
West Wing Reboot; Trump and Russia; Trump and North Korea; Crisis in Venezuela; Brexit Fallout; Australia Terror Plot; Trump's Fights; Ordered to Leave; Princess Diana's Legacy. Aired 11-12p ET
Aired July 31, 2017 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[11:00:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LYNDA KINKADE, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and welcome to "Connect the World." I'm Lynda Kinkade, sitting in for Becky Anderson. Good to have you with us.
U.S. in 200 days in his presidency, Donald Trump is hitting the reset button on a White House that is knee deep in chaos. Happening today, the
U.S. president is praising his new chief of staff, former Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly. He's filling the position after Reince Priebus left
last week.
Plus, a potentially all quit cabinet meeting with (INAUDIBLE) Attorney General Jeff Sessions sat directly opposite his boss in their first face-
to-face since the president openly attacked him on Twitter. Mr. Trump is coming off a disastrous week when his own staff engaged in open warfare,
transgender military ban and the dramatic failure by senate Republicans to pass their promised repeal of Obamacare.
And then, there are the global issues. Moscow angry of a new U.S. sanction and retaliating with the major personnel cut to U.S. missions in Russia.
North Korea's nuclear ambitions are becoming more dangerous by the day. And Venezuela's leader is openly moving towards a full-blown dictatorship.
Certainly a lot to unpack, but we got you covered right around the world.
Our Kaitlan Collins is live fresh in Washington. Senior international correspondent, Matthew Chance, is covering the developments from Moscow.
And Alexandra Field is live in Seoul.
But first, CNN White House correspondent, Sara Murray, has the latest on the west wing shake-up.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Reince was a good man. John Kelly will do a fantastic job.
SARA MURRAY, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): President Trump turning to retired four-star general, John Kelly, for help rebooting
stalled White House agenda and reigning in a chaotic west wing. That after Reince Priebus became the latest in his string of high profile Trump
officials to be pushed out in the first six months.
MICK MULVANEY, DIRECTOR, OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET: I think the president wants to go a different direction, wants a little bit more
discipline, a little more structure in there.
MURRAY (voice-over): It remains unclear how Kelly's appointment will impact the chain of command at the White House. And if the former homeland
security chief will exert any influence over the president's own behavior, including his use of Twitter.
COREY LEWANDOWSKI, FORMER TRUMP CAMPAIGN MANAGER: You have to let Trump be Trump. Anybody who thinks they are going change Donald Trump doesn't know
Donald Trump.
MURRAY (voice-over): The president remains at odds with many in his party over his repeated public attack on Attorney General Jeff Sessions.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, it can hurt, but the president of the United States is a strong leader.
MURRAY (voice-over): The two men are expected to come face-to-face today at the president's cabinet meeting. Trump also turning to health care this
weekend, blasting the senate's failed efforts to dismantle Obamacare, tweeting, unless the Republican senators are total quitters, repeal and
replace is not dead.
Despite the fact that it would have had no impact on Friday defeat, the president also urging GOP leadership to change the senate rules, so
legislation can pass with a simple majority, saying that Republicans look like fools who are just wasting their time.
TRUMP: There I said from the beginning, let Obamacare implode and then do it.
MURRAY (voice-over): Trump also threatening to end subsidy payments to insurance companies and even eliminate some health benefits from members of
Congress if the bill is not passed.
MULVANEY: What he is saying is look, if Obamacare is hurting people and it is, then why should it hurt insurance companies and more importantly
perhaps for this discussion, members of congress.
MURRAY (voice-over): Senator Susan Collins, one of three Republican senators who voted against repeal, says Trump's threats would not change
her vote.
SEN. SUSAN COLLINS (R), MAINE: We need to go back to committee, to the help committee and the finance committee, identified the problems, carefully
evaluate possible solutions through hearings and then produce a series of bill to correct these problems.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KINKADE: Let's bring in Kaitlan Collins at the White House. Kaitlin, day one for President Trump's chief of staff. John Kelly is certainly -- we
know a lot about him. He has been in the marine for 45 years. How is he expected to shake things up and reigning the chaos?
KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Well, that's the question on everyone's mind is, how John Kelly will be able to affect the chain of
command here and whether he will be able to develop a sense of control. We saw that with Reince Priebus, the outgoing chief of staff. He was never
able to fully gain control over the west wing and it created a slew of problems for him. This is a White House that has a very crowded top.
[11:05:00] A lot of people reported directly to the president instead of going to the chief of staff first. And a lot of them have walk-in oval
office privileges. So that is a big question on everyone's mind, is John Kelly will be able to impose discipline on a president who clearly does not
want to be disciplined. Donald Trump, we saw him today, lavish praise on John Kelly, saying that he thinks he is going to do a spectacular job and
will go down as one of the greatest chiefs of staff in history. But that's to be determined.
KINKADE: And certainly is a big call by the president. We also know that the cabinet meeting is underway right now. This is the first time President
Trump has met face-to-face with his attorney general since that very public attack, ongoing attack on Twitter. Any indication of how that is playing
out?
COLLINS: We saw them this morning during a short pull sprays, reporters are able to go in at the beginning of the meeting. Trump didn't acknowledge
Jeff Sessions during that thing even though he was sitting right across from him to the right.
He didn't go around the table like we saw on their last cabinet meeting whenever you remember, you know, praise the president and said it was an
honor to be working in there, that was when Reince Priebus was still here, just seven short weeks ago.
We did not see Donald Trump address him today. But we believe this is the first time the two men have been in the same room together since Donald
Trump went on his attack against him on Twitter over the last few weeks saying he was beleaguered and a very weak attorney general. But it looks
like Jeff Sessions is still sticking around and he's not going anywhere.
KINKADE: All right. Kaitlan Collins, good to have you at the White House.
COLLINS: Thank you.
KINKADE: I want to go now to Matthew Chance. Matthew, President Putin didn't even went to see -- wait and see until President Trump signs this
new sanctions against Moscow. He has already retaliated. What sort of effect will these sanctions have? What can you tell us about them?
MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: First of all, I think that the writing is on the wall as far as Kremlin is concerned about
whether or not the sanctions are passed or not. President Trump has already indicated that he will sign the bill. And of course, if he didn't sign it,
the Russians are very aware of the fact that the congress was a big majority in favor of this U.S. sanctions bill, could overturn that veto.
In terms of impact as well, I mean, it is one of the biggest enhancements in terms of a full production of staff for the United States that I think
we have seen in the modern era, that 755 people have been demanded by the Kremlin must leave their jobs because in the various aspects of U.S.
mission in Russia (INAUDIBLE) embassy and three consulates around the country.
It is not clear at the moment how many U.S. citizens will actually be affected by this and how many will be effectively deported, because each of
the consulates in the embassy uses a mixture of U.S. nationals and Russian nationals to carry out its various tasks. And the Russians have left it for
the United States to decide which staff they want to cut and which functions that will inevitably be curtailed because of that.
There is some confusion at the moment as to how many U.S. diplomats are going to have to leave, what services that U.S. embassy provides will be
curtailed. That is something we expect will come out in the coming days and weeks.
KINKADE: And Matthew, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence (INAUDIBLE) words on his trip in countries in Russians' backyard. He has been in this Monday and
he is to head to Georgia and then to Montenegro, NATO's newest member. This is his message. Let's take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MIKE PENCE, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: And no threat looms larger in the Baltic States than the spectrum of aggression from your
unpredictable neighbor to the east. At this very moment, Russia continues to seek to withdraw international borders by force, undermine democracy of
sovereign nations and divide the free nations of Europe, one against another.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: Matthew, what will the Kremlin make of those words?
CHANCE: Well, I think it will underline for the Kremlin the fact that Donald Trump seems to be the only member of the Trump administration, that
is in favor of building a better relationship with Russia. I mean, he campaigned on a that platform as we know consistently when he was standing
to be elected as president. And he has been right out there in front of everyone else calling for a better relationship with Russia, had meeting
with Vladimir Putin, speaking positively about the Russian leader.
But Mike Pence is just the latest in a number of senior figures frankly in the Trump administration that have adopted a much more conventional and
traditional approach to Russia, which is critical of it. So proceed expansionism in Eastern Europe and and so standing shoulder to shoulder
with the traditional U.S. allies such as those in the Baltics right now who are NATO members of course, in saying that they will oppose any further
aggression
[11:10;00] military by the Russians. It is really just Donald Trump as far as we can make out here that has been very positive when it comes to the
prospects of a better relationship with Russia.
KINKADE: Yes, certainly seems that way. Matthew Chance from Moscow. Thank you. Also on Donald Trump's already full plate (ph) growing provocations
from North Korea. Mr. Trump has just spoken with the Japanese prime minister. The two leaders agreeing that North Korea poses a great and
increasing threat to the entire world.
Alexandra Field is staying across that part of the story in Seoul. Alexandra, we saw this show of military strength over the weekend about 10
hours of drills from the U.S., Japan, and South Korea. But we also heard from the U.N. ambassador from the U.S. saying that time to talk is over.
What do we make of that?
ALEXANDRA FIELD, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: North Korea defied the expectations of so many when they demonstrated their capability of
launching two ICBMs in the space of just a month. But so far, most of the response that you have seen from the concerned countries in the region and
as far away as the United States has been somewhat routine, the kind of response that we have often seen to these provocations from Pyongyang.
Bombers being flown over the peninsula, a live fire exercise, also Present Trump reaching out to allies in the region talking about how to move
forward to try and bring in this regime. Listen to how the Japanese prime minister characterized that conversation.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHINZO ABE, PRIME MINISTER OF JAPAN (through translator): Trump and I completely agree that we must also take further actions. I highly
appreciate President Trump's commitment to take all necessary steps to protect allies. We will make every possible effort to protect our citizens.
They fight against the threat of North Korea.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FIELD: Lynda, here is what's different this time around. Usually in the aftermath of these missile launches, it is quite common to see the U.S.
call for a meeting of the U.N. Security Council to discuss the action. That is not happening this time. You actually saw very powerful tweet from the
U.S. ambassador to the U.N.
Nikki Haley saying that time for talk is over. He is saying it is time for China to act and also suggesting that there is really limited value in
continuing to discuss sanctions or issue sanctions that are not being enforced and toward which North Korea is reacting with total impunity.
Lynda.
KINKADE: Yes, certainly many people looking towards China. President Trump again blaming China which is of course North Korea's largest trading
partner. How is China responding?
FIELD: Right. President Trump was on Twitter after that ICBM was launched, essentially saying that China has not done what it said it would do. You
will remember that Present Trump and President Xi Jinping had developed quite a close relationship. They had talked about working together to deal
with North Korea.
Now, Present Trump tweeting and saying that China has really accomplished nothing. They had done nothing but talk when it comes to North Korea. China
is pushing backwards, had been in official statement from Beijing. They do not reference between it. It seems to be the policy of the central
government in Beijing that they don't refer directly to President Trump's tweets. But they said they have offered a solution to the problem on the
peninsula.
Again, that is a reference to the kind of solution that they have offered many times before in which they propose that North Korea freezes its
nuclear and missile programs. In exchange, they say that the U.S. and South Korea should stop with the kind of joint military exercises that so
threatened Pyongyang. These are exercises that the North Korean regime perceived as a dress rehearsal for invasion.
Certainly, what you saw this weekend in the aftermath of the ICBM launch, however, was a quick response there from South Korea and the U.S. to flex
that military muscle, while Washington tries to apply pressure to Beijing to use its economic leverage to rein in the regime. Lynda.
KINKADE: Suddenly (INAUDIBLE). Kaitlan (INAUDIBLE) in Washington. Matthew Chance in Moscow. And Alexandra Field in Seoul. Thank you very much.
The U.S. is leading a flood (ph) of international condemnation against Sunday's controversial election in Venezuela. A (INAUDIBLE) authoritarian
and official say that U.S. is weighing sanctions on one of the country's only sources of income, oil.
Venezuelans are soon expected to take to the streets once again in protest after a weekend of deadly violent. It comes as President Nicolas Maduro
welcomes the result. It creates a new assembly with the power to rewrite the constitution.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NICOLAS MADURO, PRESIDENT OF VENEZUELA (through translator): We have a constituent assembly. I said come hell or high water. And hell and high
water came. And the constituent assembly arrived from the hand of the people, from its conscience.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: Paula Newton joins us now from Caracas. Paula, another 10 people died over the weekend. More protests set to take place pretty soon.
PAULA NEWTON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, absolutely. The opposition is calling for
[11:15:00] another protest in just under an hour. What is crucial here though is the number of people. They get on the streets, both here in
Caracas and throughout the country. And the opposition has been having trouble with this. Why? People are tired. They are fatigued. They are also
very, very fearful. We've talked many times about the humanitarian crisis here and that is only deepening especially as inflation continues to rise.
Throughout all of this, the Venezuelan people have to contend with what you just heard. That is Nicholas Maduro installing this new constituent
assembly. I mean, this is a vote that the United States called a sham and that will move this government closer to dictatorship. And that's what many
people here are fearful of.
It means that they basically have unfettered power to do whatever they want in this country and wipe out those last remnants of democracy that are
here. But I also want you to listen to Nicolas Maduro talking about the Trump administration.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MADURO (through translator): The spokesman for the government of emperor Donald Trump said that they do not recognize the results of the elections
of the Venezuelan ANC (ph). Why should we care what Trump says? What we care about is what the sovereign people of Venezuela say.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NEWTON: You know, emperor Trump and basically he is taunting the United States as the U.S. weighs more sanctions here in Venezuela. Those could
come as early as today. And Lynda, many people I speak to on the ground say, look, we are fearful of the sanctions because they would hurt us
economically. But they are also looking for more pressure to be applied to this government to see if they can come to some kind of accommodation with
the opposition and get this economy back on solid footing. Lynda.
KINKADE: Paula, this has been going on for months and months and months. And as the vote went on over the weekend, the mayor of the capital of
Caracas where you are, seemed to call (INAUDIBLE) change but just for peace. Let's take a listen to what he had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JORGE RODRIGUEZ, FORMER VICE PRESIDENT OF VENEZUELA, MAYOR OF CARACAS (through translator): We are looking forward to dialogue. We are looking
forward to peace. We are looking forward to justice. And we are looking forward to stopping violence.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KINKADE: Paula, is there a sense that is everyone is feeling and just as long as there is peace?
NEWTON: No. Many people want peace here. Everyone wants peace. But they do not want peace at the cost of having to live under an authoritarian regime.
That's why that is not the view of everyone. Look, Lynda, we have had former prime minister in this country, we have had representatives from the
Vatican, we have had at certain time, members of the U.S. State Department come in and trying to come up with a dialogue that has never gone anywhere.
Why? Because this government wants complete control even though a reminder that in 2015, this government lost the midterm elections and the opposition
has controlled the national assembly. They never been able to work together largely because the Nicolas Maduro regime has a stranglehold on
the economy and on the military. Many people here of course want that peace.
And Lynda, I have to tell you, a lot of people even those protesters who are out on the streets are fatigued. They are fearful. They do want this to
end. As I said, not at any prize. And that's why they are looking for that outside intervention and wondering if the Trump administration quite
frankly has enough bandwidth to try and deal with this as well. Lynda.
KINKADE: All right. Paula Newton for us live in Caracas. Good to have your analysis and perspective there. Thank you. The big question for Venezuela,
what's next? We are going to answer that with an expert on the collapsing country in about 20 minutes. Stick around for that. Also ahead, Britain
plans to restrict post Brexit visitors from Europe. We'll have details on that just ahead.
[11:20:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KINKADE: It was Europe at war. One of bloodiest battles of World War I being remembered today in Belgium 100th years later. British Prime Minister
Theresa May and many other dignitaries join the crowd of thousands remembering the battle of Passchendaele. More than half a million soldiers
died in that battle which lasted nearly four months.
While Prime Minister May was in Belgium, a spokesman back in London knocked down speculation that travelers might find some wiggle room in Brexit. You
can find that as soon as Brexit leaves the European Union in March 2019, Europeans will lose their free movement rides to enter the U.K.
He said there will be a registration system for Europeans entering Britain, but he offered very little details on this. Nic Robertson is outside 10
Downing Street. He joins us to break this all down for us. Nic, citizens right there are pretty an issue when it comes to Brexit. What will happen
to Europeans living in Europe and Europeans who want to visit?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Sure. I mean, one of the reasons that this issue of what happens to European Union citizens
living in Britain already and those British who are living in the European Union at the moment, one of the reasons that is important is because it is
one of the sort of three key issues that the European Union says has to be settled before Britain can then move into negotiating what is the trade
relationship, the very important detail, what is future trade relationship with the European Union might look like.
So it has to get this bit right. So what is done is given the clarity of when that end date begins, when that date of any European Union citizen
coming into Britain needs to go through a different process or the process that they do at the moment, and that is time that she was saying to the end
of the expected end of the negotiations two years after it began the end of March 2019.
However, you know, one of the bits of sort of I guess lack of clarity over this is the transition period that is not expected to probably possibly
indeterminate length and structure come into play, also that date of the end of March 2019. But critically, for those EU citizens living here, if
they have been here and they get into the country before that date, before the end of March 2019, as we understand at the moment, they will be able to
apply for settled status. That means essentially residency in Britain as long as they have been here for five years.
But now, we come to that difficult to discern, the transition period. What happens if they arrive during some kind of transition period? What -- will
they be able to apply for that status? What rules will apply to them? That appears at the moment to be a great issue as the negotiations continue in
Brussels between Britain and the rest of European Union. Perhaps, that will become clearer. I think this is the nature, Lynda, the way that this is
going to play out. (INAUDIBLE) bit by bit by bit of how the European Union and how Britain will play their hands on this so to speak.
KINKADE: How that sort of play out given that we announced hearing that there would be this transitional phase, given that the prime minister,
Theresa May, wanted a hard Brexit?
ROBERTSON: Theresa May has sort of, you know, and her party and her key ministers -- David Davis, the chief Brexit negotiator, have sort of tried
to stay away from calling things hard and soft Brexit. Those are the tones that we sort of all genuinely understand. What Theresa May specifically
said on this issue is she doesn't want Britain on the European Union as sort of (INAUDIBLE) of a cliff face at the end of the negotiating period.
And therefore she is open to some sort of transition period. There were things she said back in January, earlier this year, where she laid out her
vision (INAUDIBLE) for what they are fearful, what the Brexit negotiations and Britain's end position should look like in fair view. So, she has sort
of, you know,
[11:25:00] not for any detail on it whatsoever. But has said, yes, there can be some kind of transition, but it cannot go on forever because that
isn't in the interests of Britain or the European Union.
But equally, I think what we are hearing increasingly here in Britain is that view of the Chancellor of the Exchequer here being heard more which is
the businesses went along the transition period and that is something that Theresa May since that very sort of failed (INAUDIBLE) that she had not so
long ago has realized that she needs to hear from business leaders.
And this is what they are concerned about than having a transition period. But so much of it is unknown. What does that transition look like? We just
don't know. It doesn't appear to even be decided yet.
KINKADE: All right. Nic Robertson for us in London. Good to have you there to break it all down for us. Thank you.
While Britain is keeping Europe in suspense, so is this first story "On The Radar." It was supposed to be a thrilling ride, but not this thrilling.
Sixty-five people had to be rescued on cable cars (INAUDIBLE) that was stranded high above the Rhine River, included are couple age in their 60s.
They told local media, this will always be in our memory. They were celebrating their 41st wedding anniversary.
The Iraqi Shiite cleric, Muqtada al-Sadr, met with Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Jeddah on Sunday. We're told they discussed
issues of common interests. Last month, the two countries announced setting up a coordination council to upgrade strategic ties.
Afghan security forces battled several gunmen at the Iraqi embassy in Kabul. The suicide bomber blocked embassy gate. After a four-hour gun
battle, all of the attackers were killed. There were no injuries among the diplomatic staff. Before I move on, take a listen to how fierce that gun
battle was.
(GUNSHOTS)
KINKADE: Well, from terror in Afghanistan, just some chilling new details about just (INAUDIBLE) terrorists were planning to take down a passenger
jet in Australia possibly using poison gas.
Police have arrested four people but haven't charged them yet, saying the investigation is still underway. There is extra security at major airports
and warnings from federal police that terrorists were becoming more, quote, ingenious.
Authorities have stayed in pretty tight lip about the deadly plot. They prevented, saying only that it was advance. Sherisse Pham has more now from
Sydney.
SHERISSE PHAM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Here is what we know today. The Australian Federal Police declining to comment on report in The Australian,
a major newspaper here. That report, citing multiple sources, saying that the terrorists' plan, quote, involved constructing an explosive device that
would kill the occupants of a plane with poisonous gas.
Now, federal officials and the federal police are declining to give comments on that report and they don't want to, you know, further
speculate, if you will, about this terrorists' plot. Now, this plan involved the downing of a passenger plane and killing of innocent
civilians. So, naturally, the security here at the airport has been beefed up.
We were here earlier in the day where there were massive line that stretched out around the door and around the corner from the sidewalk and
that has now died down here as the day winds down, but, look, officials and federal agencies are saying, if you are traveling domestically and
internationally, just budget some time into your travel, come to the airport two to three hours in advance.
Now, raids were conducted over the weekend across Sydney. Four men were arrested. No charges have been brought against those men yet under counter-
terrorism law here in Australia. They can be held up to a week before charges are brought. And we will know more in the coming days. Sherisse
Pham, CNN, Sydney.
KINKADE: Still to come, we will handle North Korea. The words of the U.S. president not so long ago. We are going to look at what else is on his
global (INAUDIBLE).
[11:30:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KINKADE: Well, it's a fine week for a recess, or at least that's what many in the White House are hoping for. Today (INAUDIBLE), attention is now
shifting to some brewing international problems that the president just can't ignore. First up, North Korea's threat that its missiles can reach
the U.S. mainland. Washington says that time for talking is over. So, what's next?
Coming at close second on our list of global headaches is Russia. New U.S. sanctions prompted a furious response from Moscow, disapproving to alleged
election meddling rattles along at home (ph).
Meanwhile, Venezuela meltdown is reaching proportions that getting hotter to overlook in Washington.
And this week, Iran's recently reelected president will be sworn in, the caretaker of a nuclear deal, despised by President Trump.
That is quite the geopolitical today. CNN politics executive editor Mark Preston joins me now. Good to have you with us, Mark, to break it all down.
MARK PRESTON, CNN POLITICS EXECUTIVE EDITOR: Good morning, Lynda.
KINKADE: Well, President Trump calling North Korea's actions reckless and dangerous, bit he doesn't seem to have a solution other than pointing the
finger of blame at China. What are his options?
PRESTON: Well, we don't quite know. In fact, this was just addressed within the last hour or so where President Trump discussed North Korea in a sense
saying that something needs to be done, but he didn't offer a solution.
He did offer criticism though of China saying that China has not done enough, that China is in the position, at least the White House here, the
United States believes that China is in the position to deescalate the situation right now in the Korean peninsula, but has not done so.
And if not done so, some people think because of economic reasons and also strategic reasons forcing the United States and other western countries to
kind of be back on their heels a little bit given the unpredictability of North Korea.
KINKADE: All right. (INAUDIBLE) Russia. The U.S. and Russia now involved in (INAUDIBLE) you cut out, NBC staff will cut yours. How far will this go?
What does it mean for those that have expressed hope that that relationship would improve?
PRESTON: Including Putin and Trump both expressed hope that their relationship would improve and the U.S. will be able to get along better
with Moscow. Now, what's interesting is that the sanctions bill is something that President Trump did not want, Lynda. It was not something
that he was advocating for, but was really thrashed upon him by the United States congress.
What's going to happen right now is I do think you are going to see U.S. employees of the embassy, they will end up leaving Moscow. Potentially, we
can see the same thing happening here as another move. This is really a game of chess at this point, not to the point of it being very dangerous,
[11:35:00] but certainly destabilizing. And I think that is a big concern specifically when you look at the global economy and you have these two
super powers going at it.
KINKADE: Now, looking at Venezuela and seeing the fallout from the election there over the weekend, months of unrest, more than a hundred people
killed. How serious is it being considered in the White House, that they might put new sanctions on Venezuela?
PRESTON: Well, we could hear new sanctions as early as today on Venezuela, specifically trying to put a choke hold in some ways on their exporting of
oil. That doesn't mean that the United States would prevent the oil leaving Venezuela, but Venezuela does rely on crude from the United States to mix
with its oil before it sends out. So there is a potential that the United States could put sanction on that preventing this from happening.
The problem for Venezuela right now is that their only source of income is their oil exporting. So, they are in a very difficult situation although I
don't know to be honest with you, how this is going to be resolved. You have a person in power right down in Venezuela who is very much strident in
the idea that he wants to become a dictator. The United States says it don't want to see that happen.
KINKADE: And looking internally at the problems within the west win, we have General John Kelly just being sworn in as the new chief of staff
today. Given his long history in the marine, how much hope is there that he will bring some order to the chaos we are seeing there?
PRESTON: I think that's key word there you just said, order, to the west wing. And I think you have to look at General Kelly and look downward. He's
not going to be able to change President Trump in his tweeting habits or Trump's off-the-cuff remarks.
But what he can do, he can bring some order to the west wing, more streamlining. Perhaps limit the amount of people that have actual access to
the president of the United States. In many ways become the gatekeeper, but for all these years in the military, he has has been well known and praised
for his ability to keep a structure in place and a very successful structure in place, that is what he is going to be charged with.
And Lynda, probably his biggest hurdle and perhaps his biggest asset will be his ability to work with the Republican congress. Will he be able to
reach out to these Republican leaders to try to get some legislation through congress? As we all know up to this point, really what we've seen
in stalled congress and stalled Trump agenda, is unable to work cohesively with his Republicans up on Capitol Hill.
KINKADE: And that certainly has caused him a lot of headaches and a lot of frustration. Mark Preston, good to have you with us live from New York.
Thank you.
PRESTON: Thanks.
KINKADE: Well, it's no secret that immigration is a hot button topic, quite divisive as well. And our next report takes you inside the home of a young
man who fled Guatemala for the U.S. more than a decade ago. And since then, he has become a husband, a father, and a U.S. taxpayer. Now, he is worried
he will be thrown away from his family after a surprised order to leave the country. Alexander Marquardt has the story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ALEXANDER MARQUARDT, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Joel Colindres is putting the finishing touches on a playhouse, but he doesn't
know whether he will be around to see his kids use it. After 13 years in the U.S., Colindres was told to buy a one-way ticket back to Guatemala.
JOEL COLINDRES, FACING DEPORTATION BACKED BY CONNECTICUT LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION: I was about to cry but I keep myself strong for my wife. She
had a hard time. She almost dropped her cellphone on the ground and just started screaming and crying.
MARQUARDT (voice-over): At 20 years old, he crossed from Mexico illegally but told he could stay provisionally. His mistake, missing a critical court
date.
SAMANTHA COLINDRES, WIFE OF JOEL COLINDRES: He had the dream to leave where he was because it was really dangerous over there. He wanted to come over
here.
MARQUARDT (voice-over): Joel fell in love with Samantha who was American. They had Preston and Leila, living a quiet life in suburban Connecticut,
until now.
S. COLINDRES: He took that risk. It was kind of what you do for love. I didn't know he had a deportation order and none of us did.
MARQUARDT (voice-over): For years, Colindres has worked as a carpenter, paying his taxes, and never breaking the law.
J. COLINDRES: I am just trying to make a life better for my family. That's all I'm trying to do. Working hard everyday. You know, working six days a
week. And being here so that trying to, you know, fix up the house at the same time is very hard. And, but, you know, I have so many dreams. And now,
there is no hope for.
MARQUARDT (voice-over): The Colindres' story is far from unique. Connecticut Senator Richard Blumenthal has been trying to help them and
others in similar situations.
SEN. ROBERT BLUMENTHAL (D), CONNECTICUT: It's unfair and unwise. We are losing great talent and energy, and we're ripping apart families. We're
tearing apart communities. And that is a tragedy for our nation. It's traumatic for them. And we need to do something better in accordance with
American values.
MARQUARDT (voice-over): President Trump
[11:40:00] has long bowed to be tougher on illegal immigration.
TRUMP: We are going to get the bad ones out, the criminals and the drug dealers and gangs and gang members and cartel leaders.
MARQUARDT (voice-over): Arrest nationwide among documented immigrants has spiked over 20,000 in the first few weeks of the Trump presidency. Overall,
up by 33 percent arrest of non-criminals, more than doubling.
BLUMENTHAL: There are hundreds and maybe thousands in Connecticut and many, many more around the country that find themselves in this trauma and
tragedy. The fundamental unfairness of it ought to strike the hearts of Americans, that common tragedy can be avoided.
MARQUARDT (voice-over): For Colindres, these moments with his children that make his legal limbo all the more real and painful.
J. COLINDRES: I have no idea. You know, at this point, It's very hard to hide it, you know. I'm trying my best.
MARQUARDT (voice-over): This is the hardest part.
J. COLINDRES: Yes, of course. You know, how can you leave those, you know, behind?
MARQUARDT (voice-over): Alexander Marquardt, CNN, New Fairfield, Connecticut.
J. COLINDRES: I love you, buddy.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KINKADE: Well, we've been talking about it. I love this hour. It's so important. We are diving back into it. Next, the violent protests rocking
Venezuela. Its president claiming victory in a controversial election and more violence is expected. So, what lies ahead to the troubled nation?
We'll have an expert on the region next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KINKADE: Months of violence on advance in Venezuela has reached a critical point. President Nicolas Maduro celebrates an election that has been badly
criticized internationally for reversing democracy.
The measure creates new assembly as Maduro loyalists who are expected
[11:45:00] to rewrite the constitution. At least 10 people were killed Sunday during anti-election protest. The opposition says the vote was
fraudulent and is calling for further demonstration. Christopher Sabatini focuses on Latin America as a professor at Columbia University. He joins us
now from New York. Great to have you with us.
CHRISTOPHER SABATINI, PROFESSOR, COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY: Thanks, Lynda.
KINKADE: Chris, for months, we are seeing this deadly clashes between protesters and police. Now, a vote that will let the president rewrite the
constitution. Can Venezuela's isolation from the world gets worse?
SABATINI: It's hard to imagine that it could. The governments of Spain, Argentina, Brazil, Peru, Chile, and Mexico all said that if the government
went ahead with this vote, they would not recognize it. Now, we do not know what that means, but it does mean that clearly the neighbors in large part
the Spanish-speaking world will not recognize the vote.
This was not a vote, it is important to note, no one asked the people of Venezuela, whether they wanted a new constitution. This vote was to elect a
new assembly to have -- to write a new constitution, whether they wanted to or not. And according to surveys, between 75 to 80 percent of Venezuelans
did not want a new Constitution.
So, they're isolated not only internationally, but they're also -- these governments isolated domestically. It is important to note though, he is
welcomed somewhere right now, or at least a little while ago, President Maduro was in North Korea, being recognized, so at least he's in one ally
in the world right now.
KINKADE: We know there are 19 million registered voters, people that could have voted, and as you mentioned, the polls are that 70 percent of the
voters certainly didn't want to support this vote. Can we believe the president when he says the turnout was high?
SABATINI: No. In this case, we are talking of Venezuela president, of course. And what really can't. I mean, first of all, this is an electoral
commission that has been packed with loyalists. That has engaged already, very suspicious.
They basically disqualified three legislators of the national assembly denying the opposition under very shady questionable allegations that deny
the national assembly, the opposition, the national assembly, a super majority. According to most reports, the lines in the voting booths were
very, very short. And now they claim about 8 million people voted.
I went there, wanted the assembly to begin with. The only list of candidates were pro-government candidates, the opposition boycotted it. It
stretches pejoratively. I believe that 8 million people in Venezuela, a country in which there is 80 percent poverty and in which inflation is
running at 1000 percent, would have turned out to vote in favor of a constituent assembly numbers of 8 million people.
Again, it is rather silly too that they would lie to such an extent. They have the entire government pretty much packed. Their only government
support is on the ticket. It's kind of like cheating on solitaire.
KINKADE: You mentioned that lot of Venezuela's neighboring countries have dismissed this election as has the U.S. We know that U.S. is considering
new sanctions. Do you think they will be enforced soon? What other countries could carry out some action? What could we say happen?
SABATINI: Well, Lynda, the trick is really what type of sanctions the U.S. Employs. It is already employed over 20 individual sections on people
within the government, including the vice president over issues of narcotics trafficking, corruption, human rights abuses. That basically deny
them their visas to travel to the United States and frozen their U.S. bank accounts.
Now, the White House is considering something much more serious and potentially dangerous, one of the things that has been floated is the idea
of a complete U.S. embargo on a Venezuelan oil. That as well as sends about 700,000 barrels of oil to the United States to be refined. It also depends
on U.S. oil to lighten its crude. This was mentioned in the previous segment. Venezuela depends on 95 percent of exports on oil.
So if the U.S. government do this, it would have a devastating consequences, but not on the government per se because basically this is a
government that represses it well. It would really affect the people and could really have a damaging consequences on the opposition. Basically for
now, people blame the government for the severe economic distress the country is in.
If the U.S. which the government has claimed is behind the opposition suddenly imposes pain on the Venezuelan people by shutting off its main
source of revenue, the opposition will take the blame and that could have very devastating consequences on the task force of this country.
KINKADE: Sanctions are not only going to hurt -- the people are already suffering there. What else can be done?
SABATINI: The most important thing, Lynda, is that other countries stepped up and imposed their own sanctions along the lines of the sanctions that
the U.S. has already imposed. Those would include diplomatic isolation, economic freezing of bank accounts, for example.
Despite all of the the rhetoric and the bluster of this government, it really does care about international recognition and legitimacy. It is
often like to point to the fact that it does have more elections than most other countries. It likes to point out the fact that it has reduced
[11:50:00] poverty a little bit is no longer true. If other countries start to collectively encircle it and we see this in other cases too, in Bosnia
and South Africa, where basically international pressure collectively applied can bring the party to the negotiating table and bring real reform.
But unless the other countries do that, the U.S. going it alone especially in the way it has been hinting it could do, would actually cause more havoc
and actually I think this step backward.
KINKADE: All right. Christopher Sabatini from Columbia University. Good to get perspective from you. Thanks so much.
SABATINI: Thanks very much, Lynda.
KINKADE: Still to come, protecting the privacy of the people's princess. Why a documentary about Princess Diana is causing so much controversy two
decades after her death?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KINKADE: Full of life, of love, of laughter. This is how most of us remember Princess Diana. But it was for better and in many ways for worse a
life and death (INAUDIBLE) the ends of camera's unblinking days. Diana's death ignited a firestorm about media intrusion into the private lives of
the royal family.
And two decades later, her brother is still fighting. Reports say he ejects to a new documentary about the shining Britain. It contains footage of the
princess talking about her marriage troubles. Joining me for more is Nina dos Santos in London. Nina, what has -- what is in this video that has
people so worried there and will it get a lot?
NINA DOS SANTOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, nothing particularly new, Lynda, but as you mentioned before in your introduction, is the fact the way
hearing it firsthand here from Princess Diana 20 years after she died. These tapes were initially recorded by somebody who has given her voice
coaching so that she could find her own voice from the public stage after her marriage and subsequent divorce from Prince Charles, the heir to the
throne.
And in them, she is heard discussing some very intimate details about her love life with Prince Charles and about what it was like through the
courtship phase before they got married. She confesses that they only met 13 times before walking down the aisle. And then of course, it goes in to
some of more turbulent times since her marriage is breaking down. She is reported to said to the queen, sobbing, what can I do to save this
marriage, you got to help me.
And the queen apparently said, look, quote, unquote, I am not quite sure what you should do. Charles is hopeless. These are some of the things that
included in this material. As it pointed out, Earl Spencer and Princess Diana's brother has been trying to get (INAUDIBLE), that this kind of
details is too salacious that could cause enormous distress to her sons, who should be her legacy, Prince William and also Prince Harry.
Now, on the other side, (INAUDIBLE) the broadcaster that wants to release this material as possibly an upcoming documentary set to air in one week's
time from now as well as (INAUDIBLE) who is the actor (INAUDIBLE) recorded this on home video recorder, they both say, well this is stuff that people
know about. These tapes have gone through various hands. So when it comes to an expectation of privacy, it is not applicable here because of course,
[11:55:00] Princess Diana died 20 years ago and she is still very much in the public interest. Lynda.
KINKADE: That is true. We are certainly hearing a lot about her in recent months even from her sons. all right. Nina dos Santos from London. Good to
have you with us. Thank you.
Protests, elections, royalty. We had it all tonight. You can catch up on all of it and talk about it on our Facebook page, facebook.com/cnnconnect.
You can also get in touch with me on Twitter. I'm there at Lynda Kinkade. Send us some tweets.
Well, now, it's time for our "Parting Shots." In our "Parting Shots' today, which is actually a "parting shot" on someone's fate, an airline employee
has accused of swinging at a passenger who get this, while holding a baby at the time.
Airport officials and friends say the passenger was complaining to the employee about an 11-hour flight delay. You can answer the question and
then suddenly, boom. The guy hit him. The worker, a self-contractor, has been suspended.
That's it for now. Thanks so much for joining us. I'm Lynda Kinkade. See you next time.
[12:00:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
