

June 2, 2023
6/2/2023 | 55m 26sVideo has Closed Captions
Pekka Haavisto; José Carlos Zamora; José Andrés; Lin-Manuel Miranda
Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto tells Bianna about his meeting with Blinken. José Carlos Zamora is the son of El Periódico’s jailed publisher, and joins Bianna to share his father’s story. Jose Andres joins to discuss his plans to tackle global food insecurity. Lin-Manuel Miranda is raising money for Puerto Rico following Hurricane Maria, he joins the show to discuss.
Problems with Closed Captions? Closed Captioning Feedback
Problems with Closed Captions? Closed Captioning Feedback

June 2, 2023
6/2/2023 | 55m 26sVideo has Closed Captions
Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto tells Bianna about his meeting with Blinken. José Carlos Zamora is the son of El Periódico’s jailed publisher, and joins Bianna to share his father’s story. Jose Andres joins to discuss his plans to tackle global food insecurity. Lin-Manuel Miranda is raising money for Puerto Rico following Hurricane Maria, he joins the show to discuss.
Problems with Closed Captions? Closed Captioning Feedback
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PBS and WNET, in collaboration with CNN, launched Amanpour and Company in September 2018. The series features wide-ranging, in-depth conversations with global thought leaders and cultural influencers on issues impacting the world each day, from politics, business, technology and arts, to science and sports.Providing Support for PBS.org
Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship♪ >> hello.
welcome to "Amanpour & Company."
Here's what's coming up.
>> there is no question, Russia is worse today than its invasion of Ukraine.
>> the U.S. Secretary of State calls putin's war against Ukraine a strategic failure.
I asked the Finnish Foreign Minister how joining NATO is infecting Finland, and how Finland is changing NATO.
And troubling signs of democratic backsliding in Guatemala.
Its most prominent journalist is in jail.
Today, a plea for justice from his son, Jose Carlos Zamora.
>> it's not an issue of Democrats, it is an issue of Americans.
>> we speak with a world-renowned chef, José Andres, as he tackles food insecurity around the world.
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Thank you.
>> welcome to the program.
I am Bianca sitting in for , Christiane Amanpour.
The U.S. secretary visited Finland today to welcome nato's newest member and launched a message across its Russian border.
The war of aggression against Ukraine has been a strategic failure, diminishing Russia's power and influence.
He called for efforts to end the war.
>> the U.S. has been working with Ukraine, and allies and partners, to build consensus around the core elements of a just and lasting peace.
To be clear, the U.S. welcomes any initiative that will bring putin to the table to engage in diplomacy.
We will support efforts by any nation, if they help to find a way to find lasting peace consisting with the United Nations charter.
>> the end of the war is nowhere in sight.
The Ukraine shutdown missiles targeting Kyiv overnight.
Secretary Blinken calls Finland's entry into NATO a direct consequence of Russia's war in Ukraine.
The Foreign Minister met with the U.S. Secretary of State earlier today, and he joins me now from Helsinki.
Thank you for taking the time to speak with us today.
First of all, give us the notable things that came out of your conversation with Secretary of State Blinken.
>> we had an excellent discussion with Secretary Blinken, then he gave a good speech on Russia and Ukraine and developments there.
But we discussed of course Finland in nato, what we mean to their defense, what NATO can give to us, and stipulations of becoming a member of NATO.
We discussed us as an architect country.
The Arctic Council for both of us.
These are issues we are now discussing.
>> Finland is the latest country to join nato.
In April of this year.
And you are already wrapping up military exercises with nato forces.
When you talk about what Finland can contribute, you are talking about over one million plus in the military with over 300,000 active personnel, 900,000 in reserve.
Tell us what the last few months have meant for your country and how transformative it has been since becoming a member of NATO.
>> of course it has been an important process for us, actually one of the most important processes of -- afte ther attack on Ukraine when the whole finish population became much more positive towards native.
We applied and -- nato.
We applied and finally hungary ratified the final membership in April.
It is a big game changer in our thinking.
That at the same time, we are ready to defend our country.
We still have our army, we have a big reserve, as you said.
And in the case we are attacked, or any threat is made against Finland, nato will be a great help to us.
>> the impetus for this was the invasion of Ukraine by Russia.
You share in over 800 mile border with Russia.
Obviously, the war in Ukraine was a major part of your conversation there with the Secretary of State, Blinken.
I want to play sound of what he said in terms of what a potential end of the war could look like.
Obviously, that is what everybody wants, but everybody wants a sound end of war and not something just temporary.
>> a Cease Fire that phrases current lines and enables Putin to consolidate control over territory he seized, and then re-attacks, that is not a lasting peace.
It's a Potemkin peace.
>> it is important to hear those words from him, as we expect to see a counteroffensive from Ukraine actually launch in the next days or weeks to come.
Given that outcome, whatever comes of the counteroffensive, I think the conversation about what a Cease Fire may look like, and pressure on both sides, mainly Ukraine, to come to the table is something being discussed now across the alliance.
So what is Finland's take on a potential Cease Fire and who would benefit more at this point?
>> of course I think that Secretary Blinken has a right -- has the right opinion on this because of pressure stops fighting, the people of Ukraine stop fighting -- it will be the end of an independent Ukraine.
This has been the Russian goal and the leadership there.
Ukraine has the right to defend themselves, and we have the right to help them.
Ukraine is an independent state.
But when we look to the future, when Russia will withdraw from those areas in Ukraine, Ukraine will remain independent, but it will need help from us.
Help with the military, with their military capabilities in the future and at the same time, Ukraine has the perspective of joining NATO, becoming a European Union member state.
And of course this is something that they will strive for.
>> their aspirations to join NATO, which was at the forefront before the war, obviously any reasonable person would say this is not the time for Ukraine to join, given they are in the middle of a war.
That is what we are hearing from many allied nations there.
That having been said, what will it take for Vladimir Putin to withdraw his forces permanently?
We have already seen sanctions leveled against the country that we have not seen any time in their recent history by multiple nations.
That has not stopped him.
The death and casualty rate of perhaps 200,000 or more of his troops has not stopped him.
Finland joining NATO, which obviously would have been one of his worst nightmares, that has not stopped him.
What is your take on what will?
>> of course, first of all it is extremely important more than 140 countries and the United Nations have condemned the Russian actions against Ukraine.
It's clear that the clear majority of countries are against this.
But this is despite Moscow and the African continent, as well as some in Latin America.
It is important all countries take a stand on this issue.
And we are hoping that they see it as international rules have been broken in this way.
When we look at cranial development, it is closer -- Ukrainian development, it is closer to NATO and of the European Union.
This war has pushed Ukraine much closer to us, and it is important for us to help them now, with military.
We have been sending military packages, almost once per month.
And of course we have paid for Ukraine to be a full member of the European Union in >> you mentioned aid -- in the future.
>> you mentioned that aid to Ukraine.
You just announced he would be delivering additional military equipment and antiaircraft weapons to Ukraine, imminently.
There is obviously concerned about what lies ahead politically in the United States.
The biggest guarantor of Ukraine providing $50 billion in aid.
There is concern about how long that can continue, specifically as it relates to U.S. elections.
And I sense it is not just Ukraine worried about the upcoming elections in the U.S. and stability in terms of the alliance and get support, but other nations as well.
We emphasis late -- we remember the summit between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump, we know how the former president feels about NATO and their contributions to the alliance.
He is now the front runner again for the Republican nominee.
So, what is your country's view on the stability of the United States going forward in terms of keeping that alliance sound and full?
>> of course, we have been visiting senators in the U.S. Senate, and there has been bipartisan support for Ukraine.
There has been bipartisan support for Sweden and Finland joining NATO.
This is an important issue.
In that sense.
But of course, we have particularly seen a very strong -- recently between the U.S. and European countries.
And I think that this is remarkable.
I have also seen the European Union has changed its nature.
It has been uniting on sanctions against Russia.
It has been united on helping Ukraine with military packages, and so forth.
And we have been working hand-in-hand with the U.S.
This is very important from the European perspective.
Whoever takes the lead, I hope that this quote operation -- this cooperation will remain.
>> do you believe it will remain if Donald Trump comes to power?
>> I do not want to speculate too much, but I think that there are good arguments why the cooperation would continue.
It's not only about Ukraine at the moment, it is about ecological developments.
Many issues are now going out rapidly and rely on cooperation.
>> another big priority for Finland is to see neighboring Sweden come into native, as soon as the -- NATO, as soon as the next summit next month.
There has been concern from other countries, mainly turkey, on where they stand on the issue and how you and it combat terrorism in their view.
Turkey green lit Finland, but what do you think it will take for Sweden to see the same?
>> we have been walking the same path as Sweden.
We decided that are native -- submitted our applications at the same time in Madrid.
And the process went on.
We also established a working group with Finland, Sweden and Turkey to absorb these issues, like the terrorist issue that Turkey was concerned about.
And we have done our best on this issue to fulfill the memorandum.
Finland has done its best.
They have even change legislation against terrorists.
It will start to be enforced in June.
So, I think that everything is ready for Sweden to joint.
And now after the elections in Turkey, we are hoping things will move forward.
>> it sounds like you are optimistic that Sweden will end up joining NATO, or are you hearing any concerns that speak otherwise?
>> you can always hear concerns, but I am optimistic based on the facts with what Sweden has already done.
When you look from a Nadal perspective, how -- NATO perspective, how important they will be to security.
Not only for Finland it is a good thing, but for all of NATO.
>> have you spoken with Secretary Blinken about the strikes we have seen increase over the past several weeks inside of Russia itself?
There was concern, and the U.S. has been resisted in supplying Ukraine with certain types of weapons, for fear of the war escalating into Russia with the U.S.-made provided weapons.
Give -- Kiev is not saying that they hold responsibility for these attacks, but there is ambiguity as to what they know and what they sanctioned.
What is Finland's take?
>> these attacks we have seen, the drone attacks and Moscow, we do not know all of the details.
Whether they are Russians against Russians, whether they are from some other source and so on.
So we have to have the facts.
And we know that the -- always five rules.
We have the Geneva Convention.
You are not allowed to attack civilian targets and so forth.
It is important in all circumstances.
>> do you believe that Ukraine reserves the right to attack inside of Russia?
If so, do you think that they should be doing that with Western supplied weapons?
>> I think that the weapons that have been sent to Ukraine are to support them taking back their territory and fighting back Russians on their territories.
Unfortunately, Russia has been campaigning with lots -- and Ukraine has the right to fight back on those territories.
>> thank you so much for your time.
We appreciate it.
>> my pleasure.
Bianca: this is the last article .
With that, a leading Independent newspaper in Guatemala has shut down.
The legendary publisher, Jose Carlos Zamora, was arrested on trumped up charges.
The paper, respected for speaking truth to power, was silent.
This is part of a campaign from President Giammattei to undermine democracy.
Just a month before the elections, the leading candidate was kicked off of the ballot by Guatemala's top court, the move condemned by Human Rights Watch.
All this in a country that was an anticorruption success story not long ago.
Jose Carlos Zamora is the son of José Rubén Zamora and he is joining me from Miami.
Let's talk about politically what is taking place in the country.
Judges in Guatemala have banned four candidates from participating in elections, including the front room or -- front runner, who has tweeted corruption has won.
They made their ruling after irregularities during the nomination process.
Can you explain what is happening inside of the courts in the country right now?
Jose: thank you for the invitation.
Guatemala has gone backwards in their administration.
In general, the government during the last 30 years has been corrupt, but in addition to being corrupt and has been repressive.
What we are is he is persecuting anybody who he considers opposition or a critical voice.
That is what we are seeing further political candidates.
We have a elections coming up on June 25 and anybody who they see as competition, anybody in the polls who was not one of their allies, they have used the entity that allows candidates to compete, to ensure that they kick them out of the race.
Bianca: is the judiciary no longer independent?
Jose: I doubt it is.
In Guatemala, we have a democratic façade, but under that is the executive that is controlling all of the different branches of power.
Bianca: your father was at the heart of digging in and investigating corruption in the country.
You argue that is one of the reasons why he is behind bars, in jail on trumped up charges.
He was arrested last July.
He is still detained.
Agents swarmed his home.
His grandchildren huddling in the closet.
He was charged with blackmail and influence peddling.
Can you tell us why you see these charges as trumped up and false?
Jose: first, he is innocent.
He is being persecuted because of his investigative reporting.
During the first 144 weeks of the President Giammattei administration, the paper published investigations on corruption in the government.
That is what led to this persecution.
And the case is -- the government has not been able to really prove anything.
They do not have anything in the process.
Not only that, but also throughout the process that they have constantly violated the right to due process and a right to a legal defense.
Bianca: he has gone through several attorneys.
How is your father?
When was the last time you spoke with him?
Jose: the last time was two days ago.
I actually had a talk with him for over -- I actually had not talked with him for over six months.
That was the last time I visited Guatemala and attended a hearing with him.
He is well.
He is healthy.
He's in good spirits.
He's lost a lot of weight.
But he says he is fighting the corrupt system.
In many ways, he has a very long and well-recognized career for doing journalism.
And this stand, being in prison, is another way to continue to fight the corrupt system.
And push for democracy and liberty.
Bianca: in an interview, the -- denies that your father was jailed because of investigative work.
And has said that if you are a journalist, does journalism grant you immunity?
What's your response to those words from the president?
Jose: well, it is incredible to see the president of a country, the president of Guatemala, lying so bluntly.
He's really the one responsible for the persecution.
And they know my father is innocent.
And they really went after him because they want to make sure that everybody in Guatemala, in journalism in Guatemala, knows that in Guatemala doing journalism is a crime.
And they really only had three objectives when they arrested him, and one was punishing my father directly.
Today he has been 308 days in prison.
And, the second goal was to make sure that El Periodico shuts down.
And tragically, for the country because there is less information now, they achieved that on May 15.
They thought it was going to happen much sooner, but because of supporters and the incredible team at El Periodico, it was able to continue publishing until this month.
And then they really wanted to send a clear message to all journalists in the country that if they continue to denounce and investigate corruption, they will come after you.
Bianca: El Periodico was founded in 1996 at the end of the Civil War there, and it was really seeing as a beacon of democracy and freedom of press.
Your father wrote the final editorial from prison.
He said, "despite the fatigue, the humiliation and derision, I will not see semi-fight for freedom and democracy in Guatemala."
What does the loss of El Periodico mean.
n for civility and transparency in that country?
Jose: it really brings darkness to the country.
El Periodico had been doing rigorous journalism for 26 years.
They ensured over those two decades that the Guatemala citizens were well-informed.
But in addition to that, they ensured that the government -- that the government would not continue doing corrupt acts.
So, it is really, really sad.
And I think that it is really terrible for the country and for freedom of the press.
Bianca: Guatemala is the largest country by population in central America.
As we noted, it was a beacon of democracy.
And we really saw a fight in the country to root out corruption.
For transparency and democracy over the last several decades since.
What has led to this tragic decline in your view?
Jose: well, it is interesting because over the last decade, there was a very important effort to strengthen democracy and part of that process was fighting corruption.
That is one of the biggest problems in the country.
And those efforts led to really persecuting corrupt people, both in the government, organized crime, and in the private sector.
When that started happening, all sectors became allies and they worked together to end that process.
Then, corrupt politicians really took over the government.
And not only did they dismantle those efforts and entities fighting corruption, but they started persecuting anything and anyone who had been working on fighting corruption, from the highest profile judges, prosecutors, activists and journalists.
My father is an example of that.
What is really incredible to see is during a previous administration, he focused on systematically attacking all Democratic institutions in the country.
Bianca: yes, since 2018, 35 judges, anticorruption prosecutors and lawyers have gone into exile.
Let me bring in the role of the United States here, because the relationship between the two countries and reliance on Guatemala in terms of the border crisis here in the United States is something that has been at the forefront.
It is something that has had multiple administrations, including the Biden administration, and Trump administration, trying to work more closely together.
There have been accusations that the Trump administration turned a blind eye to freedom of the press and democracy in exchange for Guatemala holding and detaining migrants that would have crossed into the U.S.
Otherwise, President Biden at least has been publicly outspoken in support of the fight against corruption in that country.
And support for freedom of the press and journalism, but have his words translated into action?
Heavy scene change in pressure -- have you seen change in pressure from this administration on your government in Guatemala to act more decisively against these corruption allegations?
Jose: I think that there have been some actions.
But they are not enough.
What we see constantly sometimes on twitter, diplomacy which is , important but it is not enough.
There had been important efforts, especially that were effective in the past, like placing public officials or corrupt actors on U.S. State Department lists.
Also, removing their visas.
That used to be effective in the past.
There are some on those lists.
But they are shameless and they do not mind.
They actually feel like they have won an award when they are placed on those lists.
So, I think the action needs to be stronger.
And there needs to be more sanctions, monetary sanctions.
There needs to be -- really they should stop cooperating with these corrupt governments, specifically in the case of Guatemala.
I think that the U.S., because its main focus is curtailing migrants and immigration, they really look to the other side on the democracy issues and freedom of the press issues.
And I think that that is sadly very nearsighted because really the main issue that leads to migration is corruption because it is stealing the future of all Guatemalans.
And that is why migration will not stop.
Bianca: it does lead to a significant political challenge here as well.
More than 200,000 Guatemalans were apprehended at the U.S. border in 2022, the second largest nationality just after Mexicans.
There is a lot more to discuss here.
I hope we have you in the future.
To give us an update on not only the elections, but on your father's status as well.
Thank you for joining us.
Jose: thank you.
Bianca: the severity of global food insecurity is worse than ever, according to a report from the world food bank.
This is not just a problem in countries facing war, famine and climate disasters.
In the U.S. committee third of college students struggle with food insecurity.
Chef and activists José Andres is on the front lines of the global food crisis.He joined us to discuss his plans to tackle it all.
>> thanks so much for joining us, chef.
You have been addressing and tackling the problems of food insecurity for so long.
And we see you launching a new Institute partnered with George Washington University.
Why, what will it do?
Jose: let me tell you why the idea of global food Institute arrived at George Washington University.
It's one of the universities in America that addresses politics and food policy like no other university.
So close to Washington, D.C. power, the White House and Ca pitol.
Today we see a world where food is always an afterthought.
Where the different departments -- they see food as a commodity.
Where often they are not solving the issues that people face.
Today, planet Earth produces enough food to feed all of humanity two or three times, but still we have hundreds of millions of people that go to bed hungry.
We need to start creating a smarter policy, a smarter bill that becomes good politics in bipartisan ways.
We need to consider food as a national security issue.
And we need to start thinking that the -- that every country should have a national food security advisor.
Why?
Because time is precious.
We have right now things that are affecting crops in every country.
We have droughts, we have plagues that are attacking entire countries in the heart of Africa.
We have wars, mass migrations happening.
If we do not take food more seriously, I am afraid that we will be very close to one of the biggest mass migrations in our history.
And today food is available to all of us, but one day we may wake up and we are actually with not enough food to feed everybody.
That is why we needed to start this Institute, to put more importance into the work of food.
Everybody running for governor, senator, President, in America and around the world will have to ask, what is the food policy?
How will they be thinking about food in the way that they do politics.
That is what we hope to achieve.
Hari: is the Institute responsible for primary research?
Will you try to make practical suggestions?
Will there be a training camp for food policy activists from all over the world to watch and participate?
Jose: obviously, you need to start small and keep building bigger.
I would say it is all of the above.
Right now, in the United States, we have more than 40 departments and offices running over 200 food programs.
They do not speak with each other.
What we will be trying to do is one simple thing, we need to put food in the middle of the table, like I have been doing for over 10 years.
What we have done with a class at George Washington, where we have been testing the waters.
And you realize food is immigration, food is climate change.
Food, in many ways, is in the Department of Defense.
Remember the food programs in the U.S. was launched at the request of the Department of defense.
Why?
Because the Pentagon could not fulfill all the needs of the Army because all the young men and women going into the military were unfit to serve because they were hungry and coming from poor areas.
Now we see the opposite.
Right now we see the military is having issues fulfilling needs because of other issues like obesity.
So, if we start thinking about food as everything, even the way we do humanitarian aid.
It cannot be the way that countries do humanitarian aid.
It's with a surplus of food to solve a food programs.
Why?
We sent it so much food for free after the earthquakes that we put the farmers out of business.
Years later, now farmers are trying to come to America.
Everything is connected.
The way that we do humanitarian aid is what makes poor countries poorer.
Then we have people migrating because they cannot feed their families.
We need to have an entire government that works with a different departments, and they speak more to each other.
The Department of Health, agriculture, the Department of infrastructure -- we need to have a more kind of interaction when we put food in the middle, about every single department.
All working together.
Or we will have many problems.
If we make them work together, we can solve many of the issues we are facing.
Hari: most people, if they have seen you over the past few years, they think of you in the context of crises.
There's other ways where it is not just in the context of a war or immediate famine or an earthquake that people are suffering food insecurity.
Even in the U.S. Jose: traditionally, we would say that what is happening in Haiti is cannot affecting what is happening in Ohio.
But if we have enough food, we still have people hungry.
So you would agree with me that this is an issue.
We have seen what was happening the last week in Washington, Republicans and Democrats negotiating about increasing the debt.
One of the names of the issues has been about -- what we call in more practical terms food stamps, which is a supplement given to American families who may have a difficult time putting food on the table.
The way that we are doing the stamps right should not be about if we can or not, but the conversation, the Republicans and Democrats should be talking about how to improve it.
There has been programs that have been effective, but has not modernized.
Why not make sure we increase the stamps to buy fresh fruits and vegetables from different farmers in rural areas.
In the process of keeping those families fed.
We help the local rural economies in the process of solving the problem of hunger, and it increases the output of those farmers invested in the rural areas.
We solve the problem, but in the process we help rural economies do better.
Why we cannot use stamps in the restaurants?
Why the people who receive them benefit -- they live in the poor communities -- why can't they be spending that money in the same community that they live?
They usually have to go so far because in those communities where they live, sometimes and they are so poor that there is no restaurant or supermarket.
So let's make sure that in the process of helping American families, we do not throw money at the problem but we help economic growth by opening diners, opening up food trucks, creating areas in those communities and opening markets that sell fresh fruits and vegetables.
If we have a smarter policy, if we have smarter bills, all of a sudden we are solving problems one at a time.
Hari: speaking of hunger here at home, based on a survey in 2020 by Temple University, about 30% of students at four year colleges in 40% of students at two year colleges are facing food insecurity today.
I'm wondering whether that is something you will be studying at the food Institute at George Washington.
Jose: I am a big believer in working both ends.
You have to make sure big thinking happens in places of power and you achieve this through good policy, but make sure that the -- filters down through every single situation and community.
Yes, some of the richest universities in America, tuition is very expensive.
And we hear it over and over that students, that they are having a hard time opening -- or putting food on the table.
At George Washington, say I am a new faculty member now and I will be getting more involved in the University to make sure that if anything George Washington becomes one of these universities that is part of the solution and not part of the problem.
But like in Washington, I was 26 or 27 when President Clinton came to visit.
I saw in first person where senators in both parties left the Hill and came to a soup kitchen, where in entire homeless shelter was a right above, to do this kind of conversation about how to solve hunger issues.
I'm a believer that policymakers need to be thinking big, but they need to be doing things at street level where the problems are.
Hunger and poverty is not an issue of Republicans or Democrats, it is an issue of Americans.
It is not a problem for us to solve, but an opportunity for us to -- That is the reason for the global food Institute.
We have big dreams, but obviously you need to start one thing at a time.
One policy at a time.
I hope that slowly but surely we will be able to bring everybody to the hunger table, where the ideas happening right now at every point in America, many places around the world, that we give voice to those ideas.
And than one idea at a time we become a smart policy that hopefully will help America and the world in the way that we feed the world.
Hari: the world food program put out a report that said 18 hotspots across 22 countries, and essay basically millions of people are currently in or on the brink of "catastrophic conditions" in which starvation, destitution and extremely critical malnutrition levels are evident.
What are the consequences of that?
How do you intercede?
How do you, in the immediate reasons of crisis, get food into places that oth r agencies have a tough time getting into?
Jose: obviously in my case, with the world kitchen we have been based around the idea of showing up in the early days, the earliest weeks to cover their short-term needs of getting food into communities.
Obviously, there are many agencies around the world.
The biggest one being the world food program.
They have been doing an amazing job over the years.
An amazing job over the years.
But here in this moment, we are having many issues that are localized.
What is happening in Ukraine is a country defending themselves from massive attacks by Russians, unfair attacks.
Killing civilians may be every single day with bombs.
But in the process, we realize the war is not only about people and their freedom.
Ukraine, where the grain is produced, feeds the millions of people every year, over 450 million people every year.
That is why you see the grain deal, trying to make sure that the Russians allow the exports to continue because without that grain we will have bigger hunger issues in the world, in Africa.
And this is a conversation.
The bigger conversation is why do African countries still depend on Ukrainian grain to feed themselves?
Why after so many years of talking that we have to make sure that Africa is the place itself?
Why are we talking about shipping grain to feed Africans?
To solve the hunger issues, yes, we are hoping to get the grain from Ukraine to Africa, but the bigger picture is why once and for all the African nations, with the help of countries around the world, does not have stronger farming production itself, that Africa, can be feeding itself?
These are the long-term solutions that will not find a result in one day.
They will not be resolved by one bill or by the U.N. program overnight.
We need to start investing right now.
Hari: for people who may not be familiar, how do you get aid into a place after a national disaster so quickly?
How are you able to scale up, whether it is Haiti or Turkey?
How does the world of central kitchen do it?
Jose: we are not the only food relief organization in the United States or in many parts of the world.
But very often, especially since we were founded 14 years ago, and especially I would say right after Maria is when we had a very big growth.
I said before, big problems have simple solutions.
And everybody always asks, Jos where are you getting the foode, -- Jose, where are you getting the food?
In the food warehouse is into supermarkets.
The food is there.
But we do is fairly practical.
When you send, you sent five fighters.
Or you take care of the wounded, you send nurses and doctors.
When you need to be feeding people, you sent cooks -- send cooks.
You send people who think like cooks ,a big team of people.
But ultimately to feed you have to cook.
What do you do?
You find restaurants that have survived at the hurricane, tha have survived an earthquaket.
I do not need to build a field kitchen if I have restaurants that are available.
So, let's use the assets they have.
If we have to bring food trucks, we may be activating 10, 20, 40 or 50 of them.
If we do not have a kitchen, because an entire island is underwater, we bring it in by helicopter or boat to every island.
We did more than 80,000 meals a day in the early weeks.
And waybill at a field kitchen when -- we build a field kitchen when things improve.
Usually we adapt.
It is usually local people wanting to help.
There are usually local restaurants and food trucks we can activate immediately.
And then usually it is always warehouse is full of food and we bring it with us, in case of a hurricane.
And we can bring food trucks, fill them with food, generators, get everything running.
Again, the only thing we do is we show up and do it.
We say we do not like to make much, but we like to cook in the field.
And we look at one community at a time.
In the process Camille increase the output every day.
-- in the process, you increase the output every day.
Hari: chef José Andres, thank you for joining us.
Jose: thank you for having me.
Bianca: finally, digging into the archives.
As Puerto Rico continues to rebuild from natural disasters, the smash hit "Hamilton" is returning to the Caribbean island this month.
Lin-Manuel Miranda is attending a benefit for a performance there.
We spoke with him about the opening of the production in London in 2017.
At the time he was raising money for Puerto Rico.
"Hamilton" continues to be a huge success all these years later.
Here is a look back at the interesting conversation.
>> welcome to the program.
We are surrounded by all of these big images of your life.
What does it mean to have done that and now to be bringing it to England?
Lin-Manuel: I feel like they have a pride of ownership in the show, presenting us to London and the wider world.
Their American accents are better than ours, infuriating for a who try to get an East and accent for Mary Poppins.
Christiane:Christiane: it is all about immigration and it is celebrating that arrival to the United States.
Lin-Manuel: yeah, people ask is it going to play well in London?
I did not know much of the history going in.
What I knew about Hamilton when I picked up his biography was I knew that he was the guy on the $10 bill, I knew that he died in a dual and his son had died in a dual.
And the fact that he was our proto immigrant story and he came here on a scholarship to get his education, than ended up shaping the world.
That reminded me of my father and so many immigrants I knew growing up in northern Manhattan.
I never knew my parents to have less than three jobs.
It is that thing of the deal is we have to work three times as hard.
And "Hamilton" is the embodiment of that story.
It is the best of us.
The best American story that is increasingly hard to see, but is true.
Christiane: did you ever imagine that this tsunami of tweets and reputation -- repetition of the message against immigrants would have an effect?
Lin-Manuel: listen, I think that words matter.
And they matter in ways big and small.
I can tell you one of the most devastating ones I have been dealing with, you know, when hurricanes hit Texas and Florida, the president we did we will be there.
Whatever you need.
He was there and in the National Guard was there instantly, but Puerto Rico gets hit with a hurricane and he, uh, he tweets a message of good luck to the governor.
And he does not tweet about it for a week.
Christiane: this is what you said in response.
Lin-Manuel: what I said that in response to was when he began to attack the people themselves, saying our people are doing great but they want everything done for themselves.
It was dog whistle rhetoric.
Then attacking the mayor of San Juan.
To me, natural disasters are so easy.
It is nobody's fault, your job is to unite us, get help to the people who need it.
It is not a partisan issue.
I had never seen a president attacked people who were already the victims of a national disaster.
So those were the only words I had for that.
Christiane: before we get to you actually going there, you are using "Hamilton" to actually auction or raffle off tickets, to let people come.
And the donations and contributions would go to a Puerto Rico climate charity, right?
Lin-Manuel: my new full-time job is raising money for Puerto Rico.
Half of the island is still without power.
It is easy to fall off the face of the -- front of the news, but it is still happening.
Christiane: still do not have power?
And they are American citizens.
Lin-Manuel: 3.5 million American citizens.
But the other thing we are doing that is related to that is my wife and I started a campaign, basically raffling off two tickets to three nights in London, see the opening night of "Hamilton" and come with us to the after party.
The benefits it will go to climate change organizations that are London-based.
Christiane: fantastic.
You have done everything for "Hamilton" and you are no longer in the lead role, and you have not been for a while.
How does that feel?
Lin-Manuel: great.
Listen, I have a pang every time I see one of our companies, you know, when you see an incredible Burr, when you see Eliza and you think, oh, I wish I could play opposite of that.
I get that because I am an actor as well as a writer.
But at the same time, I really get the joy of watching these people grow into roles and take ownership of them.
Christiane: do you have plans to take anything else around the world?
Lin-Manuel: we have this company opening in London and we have another one opening very soon in Seattle.
And I am coming out of retirement January 2019, and we will open a new company in Puerto Rico.
Christiane: really?
Lin-Manuel: this has been in the works for six months before the hurricane, but we announced it recently because we want to plant a flag and essay we will rebuild, time is of the essence.
Two, to raise as much money on the island as we can.
So that is the goal.
Christiane: do you feel political?
I know you are a cultural phenomenon, but do you feel political?
Might you go into politics?
Lin-Manuel: no, that is a big redline I have drawn for myself.
At the political take away from "Hamilton" is the limit of a representative democracy is we can elect who we put there but we cannot control what they do.
That is the room where it happens.
Every politician's favorite song is about, we ask our leaders to save the day but we do not get a say in what they trade away.
Those are the lyrics that articulate my healthy cynicism about politics.
Christiane: thank you so much.
Lin-Manuel: thank you.
Bianca: that is it for our program tonight.
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♪ ♪
Chef José Andrés Launches New Institute to Tackle the Global
Video has Closed Captions
Clip: 6/2/2023 | 17m 58s | José Andrés joins to discuss his plans to tackle global food insecurity. (17m 58s)
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