1 00:00:02,400 --> 00:00:05,320 Speaker 1: Welcome to wellness on mass It's twenty twenty six, it's 2 00:00:05,360 --> 00:00:05,960 Speaker 1: a new year. 3 00:00:06,160 --> 00:00:07,080 Speaker 2: Maybe it's a new you. 4 00:00:07,520 --> 00:00:10,080 Speaker 1: I mean, it certainly has been quite a news cycle. 5 00:00:10,160 --> 00:00:12,280 Speaker 1: I don't know if you've been following it or if 6 00:00:12,280 --> 00:00:14,520 Speaker 1: you're living under a rock somewhere. I mean, I've said 7 00:00:14,560 --> 00:00:17,000 Speaker 1: for everybody to put your phone away, try to stay 8 00:00:17,000 --> 00:00:19,919 Speaker 1: off social media, but I assume you haven't actually done 9 00:00:19,960 --> 00:00:22,279 Speaker 1: that and you have seen all of the headlines. I 10 00:00:22,440 --> 00:00:27,000 Speaker 1: actually had one of the opportunities of a lifetime. I 11 00:00:27,160 --> 00:00:30,440 Speaker 1: was guest hosting Fox and Friends on Fox News over 12 00:00:30,480 --> 00:00:36,160 Speaker 1: the weekend the exact morning that President Trump initiated the 13 00:00:36,320 --> 00:00:41,960 Speaker 1: military action to remove President Maduro from Venezuela and bring 14 00:00:42,040 --> 00:00:45,280 Speaker 1: him to the United States to be charged with federal 15 00:00:45,320 --> 00:00:49,280 Speaker 1: crimes of narco terrorism and others. Now, I was quite 16 00:00:49,320 --> 00:00:53,720 Speaker 1: astounding being able to cover this live. And not only 17 00:00:53,800 --> 00:00:56,120 Speaker 1: were we reporting on the facts as they were quickly 18 00:00:56,120 --> 00:00:59,440 Speaker 1: coming in, but President Trump called in to Fox and 19 00:00:59,480 --> 00:01:03,000 Speaker 1: Friends and allowed us a live interview. We just spoke 20 00:01:03,040 --> 00:01:06,040 Speaker 1: with in real time for about forty minutes. It was 21 00:01:06,360 --> 00:01:08,680 Speaker 1: I mean to say it was incredible as an understatement, 22 00:01:08,840 --> 00:01:13,520 Speaker 1: but because it's such a crucial news cycle and part 23 00:01:13,720 --> 00:01:15,560 Speaker 1: of what's going on right now. 24 00:01:15,920 --> 00:01:17,759 Speaker 2: I thought on wellness and mass that we would talk 25 00:01:17,800 --> 00:01:18,200 Speaker 2: about it. 26 00:01:18,600 --> 00:01:22,040 Speaker 1: Now I don't really want to talk about the political 27 00:01:22,400 --> 00:01:25,039 Speaker 1: side of it. And one of the big reasons for 28 00:01:25,760 --> 00:01:28,560 Speaker 1: the one the main leasings I should say that President 29 00:01:28,600 --> 00:01:32,959 Speaker 1: Trump indicted Maduro back in twenty twenty is because of 30 00:01:33,000 --> 00:01:37,120 Speaker 1: his role in narco terrorism and facilitating the flood of 31 00:01:37,240 --> 00:01:40,880 Speaker 1: drugs onto US soil. As we know, over a million 32 00:01:41,160 --> 00:01:44,399 Speaker 1: US citizens have died from these drug overdose deaths. Whether 33 00:01:44,440 --> 00:01:49,000 Speaker 1: it's fentanel, other opioids, even cocaine and others. All of 34 00:01:49,040 --> 00:01:52,920 Speaker 1: these areas have played a role in the deaths of 35 00:01:53,160 --> 00:01:56,480 Speaker 1: US citizens, and President Trump and his America First agenda 36 00:01:57,120 --> 00:02:00,840 Speaker 1: decided to do something about it. But let's go to Venezuela. 37 00:02:01,040 --> 00:02:06,840 Speaker 1: We're going to talk beyond our normal conversations, normal wellness conversation, 38 00:02:06,960 --> 00:02:09,760 Speaker 1: but I want to talk about how a nation's collapse 39 00:02:10,000 --> 00:02:13,600 Speaker 1: now not for more but from a failed governance and 40 00:02:13,680 --> 00:02:19,120 Speaker 1: systemic breakdown, can become a massive health crisis. In Venezuela, 41 00:02:19,400 --> 00:02:23,680 Speaker 1: people are suffering, millions have fled, and what will happen 42 00:02:23,720 --> 00:02:27,079 Speaker 1: now that looks like the regime is going to change 43 00:02:27,720 --> 00:02:30,200 Speaker 1: now we are not going to do political rhetoric here today, 44 00:02:30,240 --> 00:02:33,160 Speaker 1: We're going to talk about human health, human dignity, and 45 00:02:33,840 --> 00:02:36,640 Speaker 1: I guess what the world owes to the innocent people 46 00:02:37,000 --> 00:02:39,360 Speaker 1: who can't even get the basics they need to survive 47 00:02:39,440 --> 00:02:43,280 Speaker 1: right now. Over the last decade, Venezuela, once one of 48 00:02:43,320 --> 00:02:48,840 Speaker 1: South America's richest countries thanks to oil, has endured economic collapse, 49 00:02:49,600 --> 00:02:53,799 Speaker 1: skyrocketing inflation, and destruction of the very systems that are 50 00:02:53,840 --> 00:02:59,480 Speaker 1: meant to protect their health like hospitals, pharmacies, food distribution centers, 51 00:02:59,639 --> 00:03:04,880 Speaker 1: clean water electricity. Essentially went from one of the richest 52 00:03:04,880 --> 00:03:08,160 Speaker 1: countries to one of the poorest countries. According to the 53 00:03:08,280 --> 00:03:13,720 Speaker 1: United Nations, nearly eight million Venezuelans have fled their country 54 00:03:14,000 --> 00:03:17,919 Speaker 1: since the crisis began. Now, if you don't remember, really, 55 00:03:18,040 --> 00:03:21,079 Speaker 1: the rise of socialism in Venezuela started about twenty five 56 00:03:21,160 --> 00:03:26,200 Speaker 1: years ago under Hugo Chavez. He then appointed Maduro to 57 00:03:26,240 --> 00:03:30,360 Speaker 1: be his successor. And even though the people of Venezuela 58 00:03:30,440 --> 00:03:34,359 Speaker 1: have tried to hold elections they even voted out Maduro, 59 00:03:34,960 --> 00:03:38,600 Speaker 1: Maduro essentially stayed as a political swater and said nope, bumstaining, 60 00:03:38,960 --> 00:03:44,120 Speaker 1: and under him the country has suffered so millions of people, 61 00:03:44,160 --> 00:03:47,480 Speaker 1: of course, still reside within Venezuela. They have limited access 62 00:03:47,520 --> 00:03:52,000 Speaker 1: to food, limited access to medicine, maternal care, vaccines, and 63 00:03:52,120 --> 00:03:56,440 Speaker 1: just basic clean water. Now, with the recent capture of 64 00:03:56,520 --> 00:04:00,400 Speaker 1: Nicholas Maduro, the headlines are full of questions like what's 65 00:04:00,400 --> 00:04:03,440 Speaker 1: happening next? Is there going to be a regime change, 66 00:04:03,560 --> 00:04:06,920 Speaker 1: will it be Meduro's vice president that stays, will there 67 00:04:06,960 --> 00:04:11,640 Speaker 1: be a political fallout, tension with other nations, But most importantly, 68 00:04:12,040 --> 00:04:15,240 Speaker 1: what does this mean for the Venezuelan people. This shift 69 00:04:15,280 --> 00:04:18,560 Speaker 1: gives us kind of a moment to ask what happens 70 00:04:18,920 --> 00:04:22,880 Speaker 1: to people, their health, their wellness in times of political upheaval, 71 00:04:23,720 --> 00:04:28,039 Speaker 1: and what does stability really require? And to be honest, 72 00:04:28,120 --> 00:04:32,000 Speaker 1: help begins with the basics. When people can't access food, 73 00:04:32,440 --> 00:04:38,040 Speaker 1: they become more susceptible to infection, chronic disease. Children's development 74 00:04:38,440 --> 00:04:42,320 Speaker 1: can become stunted. Pregnant women suffer complications if they even 75 00:04:42,360 --> 00:04:44,120 Speaker 1: have the babies at all. I was looking at some 76 00:04:44,240 --> 00:04:49,880 Speaker 1: data from various humanitarian agencies that have shown about twenty 77 00:04:49,880 --> 00:04:55,680 Speaker 1: three percent of Venezuelan's population has fled and roughly two 78 00:04:55,760 --> 00:05:00,440 Speaker 1: thousand people continue to leave every day in search of basics, food, 79 00:05:00,480 --> 00:05:01,040 Speaker 1: and safety. 80 00:05:01,880 --> 00:05:02,640 Speaker 2: That's incredible. 81 00:05:03,440 --> 00:05:06,800 Speaker 1: Almost a quarter of the nation's population needed to leave, 82 00:05:07,120 --> 00:05:10,640 Speaker 1: not because they're going and retiring someplace better, but because 83 00:05:10,640 --> 00:05:13,920 Speaker 1: they didn't have access to food and water and they're suffering. 84 00:05:14,240 --> 00:05:17,720 Speaker 1: So inside the country, there have been reports that. 85 00:05:17,920 --> 00:05:19,520 Speaker 2: There are severe shortages of. 86 00:05:19,480 --> 00:05:24,840 Speaker 1: Medications like insulin, antibiotics, prenatal vitamins, functioning hospitals and clinics, 87 00:05:25,320 --> 00:05:29,960 Speaker 1: and just electricity to keep the hospitals. 88 00:05:29,480 --> 00:05:31,080 Speaker 2: And medical clinics running. 89 00:05:31,200 --> 00:05:34,360 Speaker 1: One Ango worker said, it's not that people don't want 90 00:05:34,360 --> 00:05:36,839 Speaker 1: to care for themselves or they don't want to seek care. 91 00:05:36,960 --> 00:05:41,320 Speaker 1: It's that care doesn't exist anymore in Venezuela. So there's 92 00:05:41,360 --> 00:05:44,360 Speaker 1: really nothing abstract about this. We're talking about real people 93 00:05:44,400 --> 00:05:48,640 Speaker 1: who over the last couple of decades, but increasingly worsen 94 00:05:48,720 --> 00:05:52,200 Speaker 1: over the last several years, they can't access care more 95 00:05:52,240 --> 00:05:58,599 Speaker 1: coming up on Wellness Unmasked with doctor Nicole Sapphire. While 96 00:05:58,600 --> 00:06:01,400 Speaker 1: a large number of venezuel zones have fled the country, 97 00:06:01,480 --> 00:06:04,280 Speaker 1: we're seeing it here in the United States. We obviously 98 00:06:04,279 --> 00:06:07,000 Speaker 1: saw a lot of people coming across the border over 99 00:06:07,080 --> 00:06:10,640 Speaker 1: the last several years. Some were claiming asylum, but some 100 00:06:10,839 --> 00:06:14,040 Speaker 1: obviously we're just illegal as well. But in the US alone, 101 00:06:14,080 --> 00:06:19,359 Speaker 1: there's estimates that roughly seven hundred and seventy thousand Venezuelan 102 00:06:19,360 --> 00:06:22,760 Speaker 1: immigrants have crossed the border and come into the United States. Now, 103 00:06:23,400 --> 00:06:25,400 Speaker 1: we ourselves are dealing with a little bit of our 104 00:06:25,400 --> 00:06:29,440 Speaker 1: own crisis of healthcare, rising health care costs. Some people 105 00:06:29,480 --> 00:06:34,039 Speaker 1: in rural America don't have access to adequate healthcare. We 106 00:06:34,080 --> 00:06:37,599 Speaker 1: already have a very strained health system. So when you 107 00:06:37,680 --> 00:06:40,400 Speaker 1: have these people who have been suffering in Venezuela, they're 108 00:06:40,440 --> 00:06:44,200 Speaker 1: coming to the United States hoping they can benefit from 109 00:06:44,360 --> 00:06:47,600 Speaker 1: our healthcare system and a lot of our other subsidy programs. 110 00:06:47,720 --> 00:06:50,760 Speaker 1: The reality is some of our programs are tapped out. 111 00:06:50,960 --> 00:06:53,279 Speaker 1: We don't even get me started about what we're hearing 112 00:06:53,320 --> 00:06:57,680 Speaker 1: about all the fraudulent claims of Medicare and Medicaid and 113 00:06:57,720 --> 00:07:00,800 Speaker 1: SNAP and other things. I mean, our system is fraught 114 00:07:00,800 --> 00:07:05,280 Speaker 1: with fraud. We're tapped out, the Affordable Care Acts, subsidies 115 00:07:05,320 --> 00:07:07,919 Speaker 1: have expired, and we don't actually have a health care plan. 116 00:07:08,200 --> 00:07:13,520 Speaker 1: So the United States cannot handle this influx of migrants 117 00:07:13,560 --> 00:07:14,600 Speaker 1: that we've received. 118 00:07:15,000 --> 00:07:16,080 Speaker 2: So what do you have to do. 119 00:07:16,280 --> 00:07:18,520 Speaker 1: You have to stabilize the country that they came from 120 00:07:18,880 --> 00:07:21,840 Speaker 1: so that people stop fleeing and hopefully people will be 121 00:07:21,880 --> 00:07:25,520 Speaker 1: able to go back home and live prosperous, safe lives. 122 00:07:25,920 --> 00:07:28,400 Speaker 1: That's what President Trump, in my opinion, has been trying 123 00:07:28,440 --> 00:07:28,640 Speaker 1: to do. 124 00:07:28,760 --> 00:07:29,200 Speaker 2: Right now. 125 00:07:29,680 --> 00:07:32,480 Speaker 1: He is saying we cannot continue to take in the 126 00:07:32,520 --> 00:07:34,960 Speaker 1: migrants of the world. That doesn't say we're going to 127 00:07:34,960 --> 00:07:37,920 Speaker 1: close down our borders entirely and not take migrants. I mean, 128 00:07:38,200 --> 00:07:41,360 Speaker 1: the United States was built because of immigration. But by 129 00:07:41,400 --> 00:07:43,280 Speaker 1: starting at the route and trying to make some of 130 00:07:43,280 --> 00:07:46,840 Speaker 1: these countries better, that's exactly what needs to happen. Not 131 00:07:46,880 --> 00:07:49,960 Speaker 1: only will it benefit the countries themselves, but it overall 132 00:07:50,000 --> 00:07:54,520 Speaker 1: benefits the United States. But looking again back to Venezuela, 133 00:07:54,640 --> 00:07:57,640 Speaker 1: so sure Maduro is gone, the regime is going to. 134 00:07:57,680 --> 00:07:59,880 Speaker 2: Change, So what does that mean. 135 00:08:00,120 --> 00:08:02,880 Speaker 1: Because a change at the top doesn't instantly fix the 136 00:08:02,960 --> 00:08:08,160 Speaker 1: whole humanitarian catastrophe. People are saying that while Venezuelans may 137 00:08:08,160 --> 00:08:10,600 Speaker 1: feel hopeful, I mean, we've seen lots of video coverage 138 00:08:10,600 --> 00:08:13,240 Speaker 1: of them dancing in the street, and people have been 139 00:08:13,280 --> 00:08:15,840 Speaker 1: calling for Meduro to be taken down for a very 140 00:08:15,880 --> 00:08:19,120 Speaker 1: long time. This includes Democrats too. It's not just Republican 141 00:08:19,120 --> 00:08:22,120 Speaker 1: a Democrat. Everybody thought he was a bad guy. The 142 00:08:22,560 --> 00:08:26,240 Speaker 1: destabilization in Venezuela can continue for months or even years, 143 00:08:26,480 --> 00:08:32,520 Speaker 1: even if institutions are weak, and if essential services like healthcare, sanitation, 144 00:08:32,679 --> 00:08:36,240 Speaker 1: food distribution, and even jobs. I mean those can't be 145 00:08:36,320 --> 00:08:40,120 Speaker 1: restored overnight. Getting the Venezuelan people back to a place 146 00:08:40,120 --> 00:08:43,840 Speaker 1: of stability, this is going to take time and investment. 147 00:08:44,000 --> 00:08:47,760 Speaker 1: It's not just about having a different leader. It's going 148 00:08:47,800 --> 00:08:50,960 Speaker 1: to take a lot more. And with Venezuela's political system today, 149 00:08:51,120 --> 00:08:54,520 Speaker 1: interim leadership, I don't know. There's an intense disagreement over 150 00:08:54,880 --> 00:08:58,640 Speaker 1: who will be legitimacy authority, how it's going to even 151 00:08:59,320 --> 00:09:01,440 Speaker 1: how it's even going to stack up. President Trump has 152 00:09:01,480 --> 00:09:03,200 Speaker 1: said that the United States is going to help the 153 00:09:03,200 --> 00:09:04,280 Speaker 1: people of Venezuela. 154 00:09:04,679 --> 00:09:06,600 Speaker 2: I believe that to be true. I hope that to 155 00:09:06,640 --> 00:09:08,400 Speaker 2: be true, because it's. 156 00:09:08,240 --> 00:09:10,840 Speaker 1: Going to take more than just a new leader to 157 00:09:10,920 --> 00:09:15,520 Speaker 1: really build the infrastructure that these people absolutely need. From 158 00:09:15,559 --> 00:09:19,840 Speaker 1: a health standpoint, While the regime change is a necessary step, 159 00:09:20,000 --> 00:09:23,720 Speaker 1: it's not enough. They're going to need functioning hospitals with 160 00:09:23,880 --> 00:09:30,680 Speaker 1: consistent electricity supplies, supply chains for medicines and vaccines, safe water, sanitation, 161 00:09:31,240 --> 00:09:35,360 Speaker 1: and economic stability so families can afford food and care. 162 00:09:35,960 --> 00:09:38,440 Speaker 1: In other words, you just don't cure a health system 163 00:09:38,480 --> 00:09:42,000 Speaker 1: by changing the president. Obviously, it's a big step because 164 00:09:42,040 --> 00:09:46,400 Speaker 1: with the prior president or self proclaimed president, we weren't 165 00:09:46,400 --> 00:09:47,920 Speaker 1: able to get in and actually help. 166 00:09:48,360 --> 00:09:49,160 Speaker 2: The only thing we. 167 00:09:49,040 --> 00:09:52,360 Speaker 1: Were doing was taking the people who were fleeing. So 168 00:09:52,400 --> 00:09:55,520 Speaker 1: the regime change was necessary, but so much work needs 169 00:09:55,559 --> 00:09:58,040 Speaker 1: to go into it. You're listening to Wellness and Mass 170 00:09:58,120 --> 00:09:59,280 Speaker 1: We'll be right back with more. 171 00:10:02,480 --> 00:10:04,920 Speaker 2: What I'm going to be looking forward to is hearing from. 172 00:10:04,679 --> 00:10:08,280 Speaker 1: Potentially the President, the White House, Congress what are they 173 00:10:08,320 --> 00:10:10,520 Speaker 1: going to do to help the people of Venezuela. And 174 00:10:10,559 --> 00:10:12,400 Speaker 1: now some people are going to say, listen, it's not 175 00:10:12,440 --> 00:10:15,480 Speaker 1: the United States responsibility to help the people of Venezuela. 176 00:10:15,880 --> 00:10:18,320 Speaker 1: But I tell you, as I've already laid out, it 177 00:10:18,400 --> 00:10:22,800 Speaker 1: benefits the United States of America and American citizens to 178 00:10:23,040 --> 00:10:26,400 Speaker 1: help Venezuela become a stable country once again. 179 00:10:26,480 --> 00:10:27,600 Speaker 2: Now, I don't want. 180 00:10:27,520 --> 00:10:31,800 Speaker 1: People to have flashbacks to Iraq, where we went in 181 00:10:31,800 --> 00:10:35,079 Speaker 1: in the name of democracy and we stayed way too 182 00:10:35,120 --> 00:10:39,199 Speaker 1: long and lost far too many lives trying to instill democracy. 183 00:10:39,240 --> 00:10:41,040 Speaker 1: That's not what I'm talking about here. What I'm talking 184 00:10:41,040 --> 00:10:43,959 Speaker 1: about here is more of a humanitarian effort. What can 185 00:10:44,040 --> 00:10:46,920 Speaker 1: we do as a nation to help them rebuild? President 186 00:10:46,920 --> 00:10:49,679 Speaker 1: Trump has already mentioned the whole oil stuff. I am 187 00:10:49,720 --> 00:10:51,800 Speaker 1: not an oil expert. I'm not going to get involved 188 00:10:51,840 --> 00:10:55,439 Speaker 1: in there, but yes, under Maduro and Hugoshavs, they nationalize 189 00:10:55,480 --> 00:10:58,720 Speaker 1: their oil and that kind of led them into the ground. 190 00:10:58,800 --> 00:11:01,960 Speaker 1: A lot of those oil companies then left. Chevron stayed, 191 00:11:02,360 --> 00:11:04,680 Speaker 1: but they lost a lot of their revenue from oil. 192 00:11:05,400 --> 00:11:09,360 Speaker 1: So if whatever President Trump, the ultimate deal maker, is 193 00:11:09,440 --> 00:11:12,080 Speaker 1: going to do, perhaps you will see these oil companies 194 00:11:12,120 --> 00:11:16,679 Speaker 1: come back to Venezuela reinvest in the country by updating 195 00:11:16,720 --> 00:11:19,319 Speaker 1: their pipelines and whatever it does they need to do 196 00:11:20,000 --> 00:11:24,800 Speaker 1: to tap into the robust Venezuela oil supply. That investment 197 00:11:24,960 --> 00:11:28,200 Speaker 1: in the country will help. That will get money flowing again. 198 00:11:28,640 --> 00:11:30,319 Speaker 1: But it's going to be a little bit more than 199 00:11:30,320 --> 00:11:33,840 Speaker 1: that too. From the United States standpoint, and probably the UN. 200 00:11:33,880 --> 00:11:37,040 Speaker 1: The UN should be getting involved here, the whole international 201 00:11:37,040 --> 00:11:41,880 Speaker 1: community and geos, local leadership, health institutions. If everyone can 202 00:11:41,920 --> 00:11:45,960 Speaker 1: kind of coordinate early on, the rebuilding process can be successful. 203 00:11:46,640 --> 00:11:49,680 Speaker 1: Prioritizing food distribution, making sure that they have a steady 204 00:11:49,679 --> 00:11:55,800 Speaker 1: stream of food coming in, restoring childhood medical programs like 205 00:11:55,920 --> 00:11:58,600 Speaker 1: immunization programs. I know a lot of people don't want 206 00:11:58,600 --> 00:12:00,840 Speaker 1: to talk about that, but the reality is we have 207 00:12:00,960 --> 00:12:05,280 Speaker 1: a lot of circulating measles inside the United States right now. 208 00:12:05,640 --> 00:12:09,160 Speaker 1: And if you look around above and below us from 209 00:12:09,360 --> 00:12:14,559 Speaker 1: the north and the south, there are significantly high circulating 210 00:12:14,640 --> 00:12:18,600 Speaker 1: levels of not just measles, but other communical diseases. And 211 00:12:18,880 --> 00:12:22,080 Speaker 1: in these countries that have much lower vaccination rates than 212 00:12:22,120 --> 00:12:27,040 Speaker 1: the United States. These communical diseases, these viruses, some bacteria, 213 00:12:27,280 --> 00:12:30,040 Speaker 1: tend to widely circulate a lot, and when you have 214 00:12:30,120 --> 00:12:32,840 Speaker 1: people fleeing countries and they're coming into the United States 215 00:12:32,880 --> 00:12:36,119 Speaker 1: with them, potentially can come some of these communical diseases. 216 00:12:36,559 --> 00:12:40,480 Speaker 1: In the United States. We also have declining vaccination rates. 217 00:12:40,480 --> 00:12:43,880 Speaker 1: Now they're still much higher than these other countries, but 218 00:12:44,000 --> 00:12:46,520 Speaker 1: because we are seeing a decline and because we've seen 219 00:12:46,600 --> 00:12:51,199 Speaker 1: so much migration, we have the highest number of measles 220 00:12:51,280 --> 00:12:53,280 Speaker 1: cases and some others than we have seen in a 221 00:12:53,480 --> 00:12:57,480 Speaker 1: very long time. So if we want to keep people 222 00:12:57,640 --> 00:13:00,360 Speaker 1: healthy and safe in the United States, we need to 223 00:13:00,400 --> 00:13:03,679 Speaker 1: make sure that people are healthy in these countries that 224 00:13:04,120 --> 00:13:07,160 Speaker 1: can be directly linked to us through immigration or directly 225 00:13:07,160 --> 00:13:11,199 Speaker 1: linked through our borders. The childhood immunization programs of Venezuela 226 00:13:11,360 --> 00:13:14,320 Speaker 1: are essentially null right now. That's not a priority. They're 227 00:13:14,320 --> 00:13:17,240 Speaker 1: trying to get their kids food and water. Vaccinations are 228 00:13:17,280 --> 00:13:19,120 Speaker 1: not top of their lists, but it needs to go 229 00:13:19,200 --> 00:13:21,200 Speaker 1: back to the top of their lists. We have to 230 00:13:21,200 --> 00:13:25,600 Speaker 1: work on rebuilding health infrastructure, and on top of that, 231 00:13:25,840 --> 00:13:28,040 Speaker 1: we have to look at their water supply because with 232 00:13:28,280 --> 00:13:32,040 Speaker 1: a clean water supply, that is how you reduce communical diseases. 233 00:13:32,080 --> 00:13:35,600 Speaker 1: You have a lot of water borne illnesses that make 234 00:13:35,640 --> 00:13:38,480 Speaker 1: people very sick. They're very contagious, and again, when you 235 00:13:38,520 --> 00:13:42,080 Speaker 1: have a lot of movement, they can go from one place. 236 00:13:41,880 --> 00:13:42,280 Speaker 2: To the other. 237 00:13:42,480 --> 00:13:44,960 Speaker 1: You know, a lot of people watch these stories and 238 00:13:45,040 --> 00:13:47,800 Speaker 1: right now it's all about celebration and we're not really 239 00:13:48,640 --> 00:13:51,520 Speaker 1: talking about the suffering of the people of Venezuela. 240 00:13:52,200 --> 00:13:53,040 Speaker 2: The reality is. 241 00:13:52,960 --> 00:13:55,400 Speaker 1: We don't see a lot of it because we haven't 242 00:13:55,440 --> 00:13:57,600 Speaker 1: really been able to cover it much in the media. 243 00:13:57,679 --> 00:14:01,200 Speaker 1: We know that people are suffering, it's been hidden from us, 244 00:14:01,280 --> 00:14:03,520 Speaker 1: just like you know a lot of other countries that 245 00:14:04,160 --> 00:14:06,559 Speaker 1: hide things from the media because they want to portray 246 00:14:06,720 --> 00:14:09,520 Speaker 1: a better picture than what's really going on. Listen, I 247 00:14:09,559 --> 00:14:12,840 Speaker 1: watch some of these stories and I know the turmoil, 248 00:14:12,880 --> 00:14:15,680 Speaker 1: and we hear the accounts of people saying all the 249 00:14:15,720 --> 00:14:18,160 Speaker 1: suffering that's happening in Venezuela, and you know a lot 250 00:14:18,200 --> 00:14:19,160 Speaker 1: of us want to help. 251 00:14:19,560 --> 00:14:21,360 Speaker 2: It's not realistic unless you know, for. 252 00:14:21,360 --> 00:14:24,680 Speaker 1: Some people who can actually go there and help rebuild 253 00:14:24,720 --> 00:14:27,520 Speaker 1: buildings brick by brick, or can hand out food or 254 00:14:27,520 --> 00:14:29,840 Speaker 1: whatever it is, that's wonderful. I think the majority of 255 00:14:29,840 --> 00:14:33,520 Speaker 1: people we can't actually do that because we have full 256 00:14:33,520 --> 00:14:36,760 Speaker 1: time jobs, or we have kids, or whatever reason it 257 00:14:36,800 --> 00:14:39,560 Speaker 1: may be. But you know, there are some things you 258 00:14:39,600 --> 00:14:40,000 Speaker 1: can do. 259 00:14:40,160 --> 00:14:41,920 Speaker 2: If you go online. 260 00:14:41,960 --> 00:14:46,360 Speaker 1: There are some programs to help donate to, like Red Cross, 261 00:14:46,560 --> 00:14:49,160 Speaker 1: certain humanitarian aid efforts. 262 00:14:49,200 --> 00:14:50,560 Speaker 2: I get very wary. 263 00:14:50,280 --> 00:14:52,560 Speaker 1: Of donating to people online because I think there are 264 00:14:52,600 --> 00:14:54,880 Speaker 1: a ton of scams out there. But I think one 265 00:14:54,920 --> 00:14:56,880 Speaker 1: of the best things that we can do on an 266 00:14:56,880 --> 00:14:59,320 Speaker 1: individual level is just to make sure that we are 267 00:14:59,440 --> 00:15:02,680 Speaker 1: educated about what's going on there. Right now, you see 268 00:15:02,720 --> 00:15:06,960 Speaker 1: a lot of people criticizing President Trump and the removal 269 00:15:07,000 --> 00:15:10,600 Speaker 1: of Maduro, and they're really doing that because they don't 270 00:15:10,680 --> 00:15:13,400 Speaker 1: like President Trump, and it doesn't matter what he does, 271 00:15:13,440 --> 00:15:15,680 Speaker 1: whether he comes up with a cure for cancer or 272 00:15:16,400 --> 00:15:20,640 Speaker 1: he removes this dictator from a regime who he just 273 00:15:20,760 --> 00:15:24,760 Speaker 1: completely destroyed an entire country. They're going to criticize him 274 00:15:24,880 --> 00:15:28,720 Speaker 1: because they don't like him. I applaud President Trump and 275 00:15:29,040 --> 00:15:32,240 Speaker 1: all of the Department of War for the mission that 276 00:15:32,280 --> 00:15:34,920 Speaker 1: they carried out, not because I care about the politic 277 00:15:35,760 --> 00:15:38,200 Speaker 1: not necessarily because I care about the politics of it all, 278 00:15:38,520 --> 00:15:40,760 Speaker 1: although I do think it's pretty messed up that we've had. 279 00:15:40,800 --> 00:15:43,360 Speaker 1: They've had a squatting president in Venezuela that's kind of 280 00:15:43,440 --> 00:15:46,720 Speaker 1: driven the country into the ground. But I care because 281 00:15:46,720 --> 00:15:49,480 Speaker 1: I'm a physician, because I'm a mother, because I'm a human, 282 00:15:49,800 --> 00:15:53,240 Speaker 1: and I have read for about a decade of the 283 00:15:53,280 --> 00:15:56,560 Speaker 1: suffering that is happening in Venezuela. And looking ahead, the 284 00:15:56,600 --> 00:15:59,440 Speaker 1: people of Venezuela they need more than headlines. They need 285 00:15:59,640 --> 00:16:04,240 Speaker 1: sustain humanitarian assistance, long term health system rebuilding, and just 286 00:16:04,320 --> 00:16:09,120 Speaker 1: stable governance that prioritizes human welfare. It would be wonderful 287 00:16:09,200 --> 00:16:12,320 Speaker 1: if there is a czar who's put in place who 288 00:16:12,320 --> 00:16:15,080 Speaker 1: can oversee what the United States is going to do 289 00:16:15,200 --> 00:16:16,880 Speaker 1: to help the people of Venezuela. 290 00:16:17,040 --> 00:16:18,120 Speaker 2: By removing Maduro. 291 00:16:18,160 --> 00:16:20,280 Speaker 1: That's a start, but we have to finish it. It 292 00:16:20,320 --> 00:16:22,080 Speaker 1: has to be more than that. We can't just walk 293 00:16:22,120 --> 00:16:24,840 Speaker 1: away and say, now, figure it out yourself. People are suffering, 294 00:16:25,160 --> 00:16:28,960 Speaker 1: and it truly benefits United States if we help Venezuela 295 00:16:29,040 --> 00:16:33,800 Speaker 1: rebuild their society. According to a recent United Nations planning documents, 296 00:16:33,840 --> 00:16:39,520 Speaker 1: nearly eight million Venezuelans still need help, whether it's their healthcare, nutrition, 297 00:16:39,680 --> 00:16:44,280 Speaker 1: clean water, child protection, and million more require supports for 298 00:16:44,440 --> 00:16:48,880 Speaker 1: just basic services. In twenty twenty six, UNSEF aims to 299 00:16:48,960 --> 00:16:53,680 Speaker 1: deliver primary healthcare, nutrition services, and water access to millions 300 00:16:53,680 --> 00:16:57,720 Speaker 1: of children and families, but funding shortfalls do threaten deeper 301 00:16:57,720 --> 00:17:01,000 Speaker 1: harm without timely investment. I think the industry needs to 302 00:17:01,200 --> 00:17:03,560 Speaker 1: get in there, needs to help with that investment, and 303 00:17:03,600 --> 00:17:05,679 Speaker 1: I think the United States and as I mentioned, the 304 00:17:05,840 --> 00:17:09,240 Speaker 1: entire international community should come forward and help the people 305 00:17:09,280 --> 00:17:11,760 Speaker 1: of Venezuela. I think the big mark of success will 306 00:17:11,800 --> 00:17:15,119 Speaker 1: be not when Maduro is convicted, which I anticipate he 307 00:17:15,200 --> 00:17:18,199 Speaker 1: will be, but when we start seeing the migrants in 308 00:17:18,240 --> 00:17:21,640 Speaker 1: the United States who fled Venezuela, when we see them 309 00:17:21,680 --> 00:17:24,800 Speaker 1: going back to Venezuela because they want to be back 310 00:17:24,800 --> 00:17:27,600 Speaker 1: there with their family and they know being back there 311 00:17:27,720 --> 00:17:31,000 Speaker 1: is a safe place for them, for their family and 312 00:17:31,040 --> 00:17:33,160 Speaker 1: whatever else. So for me, that is what I am 313 00:17:33,160 --> 00:17:36,120 Speaker 1: looking forward to seeing, and that is how I will 314 00:17:36,160 --> 00:17:39,719 Speaker 1: say this was absolutely a successful mission, because when people 315 00:17:39,800 --> 00:17:42,720 Speaker 1: realize being back in Venezuela is a great place to be, 316 00:17:43,320 --> 00:17:45,720 Speaker 1: that marks the success of this mission. Now, unfortunately, I 317 00:17:45,720 --> 00:17:47,520 Speaker 1: don't think that's going to happen in the next week 318 00:17:47,640 --> 00:17:50,120 Speaker 1: or month. It may not even happen in the next year. 319 00:17:50,560 --> 00:17:53,080 Speaker 1: But I'm really looking forward to seeing what President Trump, 320 00:17:53,119 --> 00:17:55,840 Speaker 1: the White House, and the entire administration, how they are 321 00:17:55,840 --> 00:17:58,840 Speaker 1: going to support the people of Venezuela because they need it. 322 00:17:59,160 --> 00:18:01,399 Speaker 1: And by the way, it's not just Venezuela. There's a 323 00:18:01,440 --> 00:18:04,520 Speaker 1: lot of surrounding areas Colombia and Cuba and other places 324 00:18:04,560 --> 00:18:07,760 Speaker 1: where people are suffering at the hands of these narco 325 00:18:08,040 --> 00:18:13,440 Speaker 1: terrorists that are disguised as politicians. It's incredible that over 326 00:18:13,440 --> 00:18:16,679 Speaker 1: the last couple of decades the international community has allowed 327 00:18:16,720 --> 00:18:19,520 Speaker 1: this to happen. We've seen it here in the United States. 328 00:18:19,560 --> 00:18:24,639 Speaker 1: We've seen lives taken, lives destroyed from all of the 329 00:18:24,960 --> 00:18:28,920 Speaker 1: drugs coming into our country, whether they're starting in China 330 00:18:28,960 --> 00:18:32,160 Speaker 1: and they're coming through South America, Central America, whether they 331 00:18:32,240 --> 00:18:34,359 Speaker 1: start in Central and South America and come. 332 00:18:34,240 --> 00:18:35,680 Speaker 2: Through directly through our borders. 333 00:18:36,280 --> 00:18:38,199 Speaker 1: It's you know, it's a mixture of all of that, 334 00:18:38,600 --> 00:18:42,119 Speaker 1: but it's wonderful to see that action is being taken 335 00:18:42,440 --> 00:18:47,680 Speaker 1: to dismantle these narco terrorism enterprises and really truly actually 336 00:18:47,920 --> 00:18:51,320 Speaker 1: declare a war on drugs. We've heard it before, we've 337 00:18:51,320 --> 00:18:54,040 Speaker 1: heard the rhetoric before, but it actually looks. 338 00:18:53,760 --> 00:18:54,440 Speaker 2: Like is happening. 339 00:18:54,760 --> 00:18:58,920 Speaker 1: So stay tuned. This will not be over quickly. This 340 00:18:59,000 --> 00:19:01,040 Speaker 1: is something that we're going to keep nyon for a while. 341 00:19:01,560 --> 00:19:03,919 Speaker 1: And all I can say is I'm praying for the 342 00:19:03,920 --> 00:19:06,760 Speaker 1: people of Venezuela and I really hope people come together 343 00:19:06,880 --> 00:19:09,920 Speaker 1: to help them rebuild so that they can live a 344 00:19:10,040 --> 00:19:13,920 Speaker 1: much better and prosperous life. I'm doctor Nicole Saftfire. Thanks 345 00:19:13,960 --> 00:19:16,280 Speaker 1: for listening to Wellness un Mass. Be sure to listen 346 00:19:16,320 --> 00:19:19,640 Speaker 1: to Wellness un Mass with doctor Nicole Saffhire on iHeartRadio 347 00:19:19,720 --> 00:19:21,680 Speaker 1: or wherever you get your podcasts, and we will see 348 00:19:21,680 --> 00:19:22,240 Speaker 1: you next time.