PHOENIX – Kristin Urquiza, the former Arizona resident who drew attention to a ferocious obituary of her father criticizing the handling of politicians in the COVID-19 pandemic, about President Donald Trump’s resignation Wednesday after reporting that she had intentionally minimized the seriousness of the new Crown. Virus.
Trump knew weeks before the first american coronavirus death showed that COVID-19 was highly contagious and more fatal than the flu, according to a new e-book by journalist Bob Woodward. However, when he spoke to the public, he said the virus is “under control. “”and would soon disappear.
“The president lied,” Urquiza, whose father died of COVID-19 in June, told The Arizona Republic, a component of USA TODAY. “It’s unforgivable. “
To date, more than 6 million other people have become inflamed with COVID-19 in the United States, and those over the age of 65 have been affected. Nearly 190,000 Americans have died and many others face months of recovery.
“They teach us to stick to our leaders, especially in times of crisis. For others like my father, he trusted Donald Trump, trusted governor (arizona) Doug Ducey,” Urquiza said.
“When the public was lied to in May and told that it was prudent to faint and resume general activities, my father followed his counsel. That’s why he paid with his life.
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Mark Anthony Urquiza began feeling unhealthy on June 11, when Arizona was batting one of the world’s worst coronavirus outbreaks, following a remnant of closing restrictions in mid-May.
The Tolleson, Arizona, resident tested positive for COVID-19 the next day and was hospitalized five days later.
He died on June 30, over the age of 65.
“Mark, like so many others, has not died of COVID-19,” Kristin Urquiza wrote in her obituary, which went viral and encouraged others to write “#HonestObits. “
His death is due to the forgetfulness of politicians who continue to jeopardize the suitability of the brown bodies through a manifest lack of leadership, the refusal to recognize the seriousness of this crisis, and the inability and unwillingness to take a course. Transparent and decisive on how to minimize risk. “
National media attention helped Urquiza raise more than $30,000, which he used to cover his father’s funeral expenses and start a COVID-19 prevention organization. “Marked with COVID” commemorates others lost to the disease online and in vigils and lobbyists to take mitigation measures. .
Urquiza has reveled in leading campaigns and lobbying government officials: she is vice president of Waxman Strategies, a Washington, D. C. -based public relations and progressive lobbying company that describes her as “an expert in mobilizing public support, international relations and advocacy. “paintings there focuses on marine conservation, according to the company.
Democratic leaders noted the defense efforts related to Urquiza’s coronavirus, patting him for communication about her father and the policy she said contributed to her death on the first day of the Democratic National Convention.
“The coronavirus evidently showed that there are two Americas: the America in which Donald Trump lives and the America my father died in,” his live appearance said. “Donald Trump probably wouldn’t have caused the coronavirus, but his dishonesty and irresponsibility. “the movements have made it much worse. “
He echoed Wednesday’s comments and said it was “devastating to see that the president doesn’t have to prioritize human lives. “
“Today he resigns, but I suspect he’s too cowardly, ” he said.
Urquiza also had a few words for the media, saying that they call Trump’s tactics “what they are: lies. “
And he criticized the governors, members of Congress, and elected officials whom he called “accomplices” in implementing Trump’s underlash for the pandemic.
“Our leaders can no longer pretend about the severity of Trump’s pandemic and planned minimisation,” he said in a public statement, setting them to “immediately and publicly denounce the president’s tactics and put into effect data-driven public health measures. “
Contribution: Emily Wilder and Yvonne Wingett Sanchez, Republic of Arizona
Follow journalist Maria Polletta on Twitter @mpolletta.
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