Arizona woman blames Trump for dad’s virus death in convention speech
Aug 17, 2020, 7:25 PM | Updated: Aug 18, 2020, 6:37 pm
PHOENIX — During the first night of the Democratic National Convention, an Arizona woman blamed President Donald Trump for her father’s coronavirus death earlier this year.
“My dad, Mark Anthony Urquiza, should be here today, but he isn’t,” Kristin Urquiza said
“He had faith in Donald Trump. He voted for him, listened to him, believed him and his mouthpieces when they said that coronavirus was under control and going to disappear, that it was okay to end social distancing rules before it was safe…
“My dad was a healthy 65-year-old; his only preexisting condition was trusting Donald Trump — and for that he paid with his life.”
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Urquiza said her father went to a karaoke bar in late May. A few weeks later, he was put on a ventilator before eventually dying in an ICU on June 30.
“The coronavirus has made it clear that there are two America’s: the America that Donald Trump lives in, and the America that my father died in,” she added.
In her father’s obituary in the Arizona Republic, Urquiza blamed her father’s death on a lack of action by political leaders.
“His death is due to the carelessness of the politicians who continue to jeopardize the health of brown bodies through a clear lack of leadership, refusal to acknowledge the severity of this crisis, and inability and unwillingness to give clear and decisive direction on how to minimize risk,” the obituary said.
Urquiza created Marked By Covid, which brings light to preventable coronavirus deaths, following her father’s death.
So far, Marked By Covid has featured four virus deaths in the Latino community.
Urquiza is one of four people with Arizona ties scheduled to appear during the four-day convention.
Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez will speak Tuesday night as part of the keynote address.
Former Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords is scheduled to speak Wednesday.
Jeff Jeans, a Sedona man and former conservative Republican who supports the Affordable Care Act because he said it saved his life, will speak Thursday.
Michelle Obama, whom Gallup determined was the nation’s most admired woman last year, is delivering the keynote address Monday night. She is following a collection of elected officials and ordinary Americans that highlight extraordinary political and racial diversity.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
