FTS 08:30 19-10: Popular consultation concludes in Venezuela

Name: FTS 08:30 19-10: Popular consultation concludes in Venezuela
Uploaded: 2026-10-19T13:43:07+00:00
Duration: 24 min 13 s
Channel: teleSUR English
Description: 19/10/2026 FTS 08.30 *Teachers in Spain continue indefinite strike over better wages. *Mass funeral in Gaza as civil defense warns 8,000 bodies remain under rubble. teleSUR

00:02On Sunday, Venezuela held its second National Popular Consultation of 2026,

00:07in which organized popular power selected projects to develop solutions to local needs.

00:23On Monday, an indefinite strike set by teachers in the community of Madrid

00:27entered its second week amid protests over better salaries.

00:36Hundreds gather in Gaza City for the funeral of 75 victims recovered from buildings destroyed by Israeli attacks in the

00:43Aldarash neighborhood.

00:49Hello and welcome to From the South. I'm Alejandra Garcia from Telesur Studios in Caracas, Venezuela.

00:55We begin with the news, so stay with us.

01:13On Sunday, October 18, Venezuela held its second National Popular Consultation of 2026.

01:19This is a mechanism through which organized popular power selects projects that were previously prioritized by communities within their communes

01:28and condominium associations.

01:30A total of 48,086 communal councils, organized into 5,418 communes across all Venezuelan states and the capital district,

01:39participated in the consultation.

01:41For the first time, condominium associations participated in the vote as well, which expanded the scope of participatory and protagonistic

01:50democracy promoted by the Venezuelan government.

01:53This strengthened popular power in developing solutions to local needs.

01:58The consultation aimed to strengthen public services and the productive communal economy and consolidate spaces for peace ahead of the

02:06holiday season in December.

02:16Also, Venezuela's acting president, Delci Rodriguez congratulated the Venezuelan people on the occasion of their participation in the Second National

02:24Popular Consultation on Communes and Condominiums Boards.

02:31I want to congratulate all Venezuelan citizens who have participated in this consultation, because this reflects a genuine belief in

02:41a democracy that is growing stronger,

02:44a democracy that consults its own people, a democracy that respects the decisions of organized communes in communal circuits among

02:54neighbors and in condominium boards and with extraordinary participation.

03:00I can only say that I feel very happy. I thank you and congratulate you.

03:05Now it's time to carry out and implement those projects. The investment funds for these projects are ready to be

03:12allocated for their implementation.

03:16Venezuela's ministers of communes and social movements, Ángel Prado, stated that citizens responded to acting president Delci Rodriguez's call to

03:25vote on projects that would benefit their communities.

03:30The president of the presidential election and the presidential election.

03:33Acting president Delci Rodriguez organized this popular consultation and our people responded very well.

03:39They selected the projects we expect funding to begin next week, and we will combine this electoral celebration with the

03:45December festivities.

03:46We will implement the projects during the last quarter of the year. We monitor 11,495 polling centers, 12,769

03:57polling stations, and 5,418 communal circuits, as well as more than 48,000 communal councils.

04:07This allowed millions of men and women, including many young people, to watch in large numbers today for their projects

04:12and sets a measure to the world.

04:13Venezuela is united in defending its democracy.

04:21Also in Venezuela, millions participated in the Second National Popular Consultation of 2026.

04:27Now that voting has concluded, the focus is on turning these popular decisions into concrete results.

04:33Our correspondent, Denise Arabi, takes a closer look.

04:38The Second National Popular Consultation of 2026 took place this Sunday, October 18, across the Venezuela territory.

04:45A direct democracy exercise that empowers the people to work on their communities, strengthening unity, and promoting local development framework

04:53in the 7th transformation plan promoted by the Bolivarian government.

04:58Each group holds its own assembly with this communal council, and then we gather at the communal level to assess

05:04the needs presented by each of these communal councils.

05:08And we identify the most relevant ones, those that need to be prioritized, and their ones being presented here today

05:14in this popular consultation.

05:18The initiative gives residents in over 48,000 to communal councils an active role in identifying their needs, selecting priorities,

05:27and deciding on local projects that will be executed through state funding.

05:30Across the country, more than 37,000 projects were submitted with proposals addressing issues ranging from water supply and electricity

05:38to road repairs, health services, education, and community production.

05:43This addition introduced a new dimension to grassroots democracy, with the incorporation of 428 condominium boards into the community-led

05:51decision-making process, expanding participation to more urban communities and residential buildings.

05:58I think this is an excellent process because it provides supports the divine channel to the condominium boards, and especially

06:06now that all buildings were damaged after the earthquake.

06:10We weren't as hard hit as others, but we did suffer some damage, and this is a benefit we can

06:16use to make repairs.

06:20The initiative builds on a process launched under Commander Hugo Chavez, who promoted the creation of communal councils in 2006.

06:28Two decades later, the National Popular Consultation advances that vision by placing communities at the heart of public decision-making.

06:34What is the overall idea?

06:37What is the overall idea?

06:37That we move towards self-management, or a communal state where we can manage our own income and resources, make

06:43our communities self-sufficient, and support the national economy.

06:46As Acting President El Ciro Díaz said, the communal economy is driving the country's development.

06:52With voting concluded, attention now turns to the next stage, turning those decisions into concrete results.

06:59The impact of previous consultations is already visible in the field through community spaces, local infrastructure, and productive projects that

07:06respond to the realities of each territory.

07:10Through the popular consultation, we have seen many results.

07:13Through all the consultations, we have implemented 14 projects that have directly and indirectly benefited the community, as we have

07:20improved their quality of life.

07:23Today's process has once again evidenced Venezuelans' commitment to push the country forward with unity and popular participation.

07:30From Venezuela, Denise Arabi, Jesus Romero, for Telesur English.

07:36And now we have a short break coming up, but first remember you can join us on TikTok at Telesur

07:41English, where you'll find news in different formats, news updates, and much more.

07:46We'll be right back, so stay with us.

08:11Welcome back to From the South.

08:13President Luís Inácio Lula, da Silva, and part-right Senator Flavio Bolsonaro took part in the first face-to-face

08:19presidential debate one week before the presidential runoff.

08:23During the debate, President Lula defended the proposed constitutional amendment on public security and criticized Bolsonaro for not supporting it.

08:32Meanwhile, Flavio Bolsonaro, the far-right Liberal Party candidate, focused largely on promises of a tough on-crime approach and

08:41longer prison sentences, which he said would help crack down on criminals.

08:46The debate was structured in three segments featuring questions from journalists and rhodes on rounds of tight exchanges between the

08:54candidates.

09:00During the presidential debate, the workers' party candidates seeking re-election recalled that when he took office, the country owed

09:08$30 billion to the IMF.

09:10He paid off that debt, building up $270 billion in reserves, and the economy grew by 7.5%.

09:21That's why my administration passed the SME law and the micro-entrepreneur regime, now at 17.5 million members.

09:30We're discussing incentives to boost jobs, growth and development.

09:36When I took office, Brazil owed $30 billion to the IMF with no reserves or import funds.

09:43Yet, we paid the IMF, built $270 billion in reserves, grew the economy 7.5%, and we brought 20 million

09:53Brazilians into the banking system.

09:56It is possible to repeat this now, because we are going to focus on a new economy, the digital economy,

10:03the green economy, and the creative economy, so that Brazil can take a quantum leap forward.

10:10That is what is going to happen.

10:18For his part, Liberal Party presidential candidate Flavio Bolsonaro stated that he will crack down on criminals with stricter laws

10:25and that thanks to the anti-criminal organization law, the leaders of these organizations could be sentenced to up to

10:3280 years in prison.

10:38To you, who live in areas controlled by these criminals, where they impose collective fear, enforce their own laws, and

10:46oppress you, I say, I will reclaim every meter, every street, every neighborhood, every city, every territory that has been

10:53taken from the Brazilian people.

10:55I will also reclaim a place where they still rule today, the prisons.

11:01I will go after these criminals with stricter laws, thanks to the anti-gang law we have passed.

11:06The leaders of these organizations can be sentenced to up to 80 years in prison.

11:12To you, who live in one of these areas, it outrages me to see videos of women being oppressed, women

11:18who have their hair shaved off, or are whipped, simply because they refuse to be sex slaves to these criminals.

11:25I will make sure they never cross your path again, as they will end up in prison or be neutralized

11:30by our police forces.

11:32Under the government of Flavio Bolsonaro, no one will be lenient toward criminals, as is the case in the current

11:38administration, which promotes a policy of decarceralization and releases dangerous criminals back onto the streets under the pretext that there

11:46are no spaces in the prison system.

11:53In other topics, on Monday, an indefinite strike set by teachers in the community of Madrid entered its second week

11:59amid protests over better salaries.

12:01Schools and high schools in the nation began to protest on October 14th to demand higher salaries to smaller class

12:09sizes, a reduction in the number of students per classroom, and fewer teaching hours for teachers.

12:15Continuing these mobilizations, a fresh wave of protests broke out to pressure the regional government into opening a new channel

12:23of negotiation to address their demands.

12:25This week's schedule of protests began with a rally in front of the regional ministry of education, and another protest

12:33is scheduled for Thursday at the Madrid Assembly, along with a new demonstration between Atosha and Alcala Street.

12:47And Spanish Supreme Court Judge Pablo Llarena has confirmed the lifting of the national arrest warrant against former Catalan President

12:55Carlos Pigeon Montt.

12:57The ruling applies recent constitutional court doctrine on the amnesty law regarding embezzlement charges tied to the 2017 independence referendum.

13:08Llarena rejected an appeal by the far-right box party, maintaining his earlier decision to provisionally suspend surge and arrest

13:15warrants.

13:16The judicial confirmation aligns with broader constitutional standards, establishing criteria for amnesty in political charges linked to the Catalan sovereignty

13:26movement.

13:33And Prime Minister Sebastien Le Corneu convened an emergency cabinet meeting in Paris following widespread weekend protests and public disorder

13:41across several major cities.

13:43Over 2,400 people were arrested nationwide as working-class communities took to the streets to protest soaring inflation and

13:51deteriorating public irrigation services.

13:54While President Macron blamed activists for funding the unrest, Interior Minister Lauren Núñez admitted to security failures and a lack

14:03of police anticipation.

14:05Authorities have authorized local prefects to restrict future demonstrations,

14:09while working-class organizations vowed to continue mobilizing against high prices and social inequality.

14:23Meanwhile, the COP17 United Nations Biodiversity Summit opened this Monday in Yerevan, Armenia,

14:30as global leaders gathered to evaluate environmental progress and biodiversity protection goals.

14:35United Nations officials warned that global conservation efforts are falling short of the speed and scale required to fulfill the

14:44historic coming Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

14:48Adopted in 2022, the framework sets 23 targets for 2030 aiming to protect 30% of land and oceans while

14:57securing sustainable biodiversity financing.

14:59Running through October 30th, the summit will lay key groundwork for climate financing ahead of the upcoming COP31 climate conference

15:09in Turkey next month.

15:14But we are all accountable to each other and to future generations.

15:20What happens here in Yerevan matters.

15:22Billions of people whose lives are being appended by the impacts of biodiversity loss depend on progress being made here

15:29in the next two weeks.

15:31For the first time, we are holding up a mirror to our collective progress.

15:37Halfway to 2030, the just launched State of Biodiversity Action Report provides a clear picture of implementation since the framework's

15:47adoption.

15:48It reveals both remarkable mobilization and considerable unfinished business.

15:55The global report tells us that progress is not yet occurring at the pace or scale we need.

16:05An Austrian Airlines flight travelling from Tel Aviv to Vienna was forced to make an emergency landing in Sofia, Bulgaria,

16:13following a mid-air bomb threat.

16:15Bulgarian authorities scrambled a MiG-29 fighter jet to squirt the aircraft, safely evacuating 51 passengers and 6 crew members

16:26upon landing.

16:27Security teams thoroughly inspected the Airbus A320 and launched an official crisis investigation as the airline arranged alternative travel for

16:38affected passengers.

16:39The diversion follows recent security incidents in regional airspace, prompting heightened alertness and emergency protocols across international aviation networks.

16:54And now we have a second show break coming up before we want to invite you to visit our Facebook

16:59page at Telesur English.

17:01Then you'll be able to watch our top stories, special live coverage and much more.

17:06Follow our page, also activate the notification button to stay up to date on the world's most recent events.

17:11We'll be right back so don't go away.

17:40Welcome back to From the South.

17:43As a city for the funeral of 75 victims recovered from buildings destroyed by Israeli flags in the Al-Darash

17:50neighbourhood.

17:51The recovered remains, which included children, pregnant women and the elderly, were wrapped in Palestinian flags for a public memorial

17:59before burial at the Sheikh Radwan Cemetery.

18:02Civil Defence spokesman Mahmoud Basel warned that an estimated 8,000 bodies remain trapped beneath the rubble across the Gaza

18:10Strip, pointing out that identification procedures have been severely delayed due to a critical lack of specialised equipment and DNA

18:18testing supplies.

18:25Also, United States embassies in the Middle East issued security alert amid a possible escalation of the conflict between Saudi

18:31Arabia and the Houthis.

18:33U.S.

18:33U.S. diplomatic missions in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Judah and IDAC and the United Arab Emirates urged their citizens

18:41to exercise extra caution given the complex security situation in the region and urged U.S. citizens to monitor flight

18:50information and prepare contingency plans.

18:53They also issued a warning about possible flight cancellations and noted that hostilities could spread rapidly due to the conflicts.

19:08In other topics, French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Kuwait to begin a three-day golf tour aimed at securing

19:15critical oil and gas supplies for France.

19:18In a televised address, Macron defended the diplomatic mission despite severe domestic unrest, stating that the trip is essential to

19:26guarantee energy security and price stability.

19:29The energy diplomacy initiative seeks to strengthen economic defence and security ties while France faces widespread social discontent and strikes

19:38back home.

19:39As working class families in France demonstrate against inflation and declining social services, the French government continues seeking external fuel

19:48agreements to alleviate the crisis.

20:06In Indonesia, raging wildfires advanced toward residential neighbourhoods along the main road in central Kalimantan sparking panic among local communities

20:16overnight.

20:17Trapped between advancing flames and heavy smoke, residents fought to protect their properties as severe drought aggravated fire conditions across

20:27the region.

20:28Firefighting crews are facing extreme exhaustion and critical water shortages, severely hindering emergency containment operations in vulnerable areas.

20:37As climate drive and drought conditions processed across Indonesia, local populations continue demanding expanded state resources and emergency disaster support.

20:53In Singapore, transboundary haze has degraded air quality to unhealthy levels for 13 consecutive days, severely impacting visibility, tourism and

21:04outdoor activities.

21:05An interagency task force has been formed as health concerns rise with authorities warning schools could transition to home-based

21:14learning if pollution worsens.

21:16Environmental agencies are tracking regional hotspots to identify companies responsible for illegal and burning amplified by peatland drying and El

21:26Niño weather patterns.

21:28Meteorologists project air quality will gradually improve by mid-November as seasonal monsoon winds shift while authorities maintain strict environmental

21:39monitoring.

21:47Meanwhile, in Spain, torrential rainfall from storm Adam triggers severe flooding across the Mediterranean coast, leaving at least two people

21:55dead in Catalonia and Valencia.

21:58Local authorities order emergency confinement across 145 municipalities in southern Valencia and northern Alicante as rainfall exceeded 700 litres per

22:09square metre.

22:10Helicopter rescues are underway in towns including Culera, Denia and Gandia, while residents are urged to remain indoors and avoid

22:20all non-essential travel.

22:22As red weather alerts persisted across Valencia and the Balearic Islands, emergency services continue operations to safeguard vulnerable populations.

22:39And in Chile, the government declared a preventive climate emergency in anticipation of heavy rainfall associated with the El Niño

22:46phenomenon.

22:52This decree authorizes the regions to allocate human, physical and financial resources.

23:01This is in response to the impending emergency caused by adverse weather conditions.

23:09We are going to experience highly unstable weather conditions, with high intensity on certain days.

23:17These will be concentrated during specific hours.

23:22This will be especially the case on Tuesday the 20th.

23:29This will mean downpours, thunderstorms, high winds, hail and snow.

23:37In some regions, there is also a growing likelihood of water spouts and tornadoes.

23:43And with this information, we have come to the end of this news brief.

23:46Remember, you can find this and many other stories on our website at telezorenglish.net.

23:52Also join us on social media.