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Trump rechaza número de muertes de María en Puerto Rico

Los comentarios provocan indignación entre activistas LGBTI

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president, gay news, Washington Blade

El presidente Trump el 13 de septiembre provocó indignación cuando rechazó el número de muertes del huracán María en Puerto Rico (Foto de Washington Blade por Michael Key)

El presidente Trump fue ampliamente condenado el jueves cuando rechazó el número de muertes oficial del huracán María en Puerto Rico sin ninguna evidencia creíble para apoyar sus reclamos.

“3,000 personas no murieron en los dos huracanes que golpearon Puerto Rico,” dijo Trump en uno de sus dos tweets, refiriéndose a María, que tocó tierra en la costa sureste de Puerto Rico el 20 de septiembre de 2017, y el huracán Irma, que rozó el estado libre asociado estadounidense menos de dos semanas antes. “Cuando salí de la isla, después de que la tormenta había golpeado, tenían entre seis y 18 muertos. No subió demasiado con el paso del tiempo. Luego, mucho tiempo después comenzaron a reportar números realmente grandes, como 3,000.”

Trump en otro tweet acusó a los demócratas de inflar el número de muertes “para hacer que mirase lo peor posible cuando estaba recaudando miles de millones de dólares para ayudar a reconstruir Puerto Rico.”

“Si una persona murió por cualquier motivo, como la vejez, simplemente agréguela a la lista,” dijo Trump. “Malas políticas. Amo a Puerto Rico.”

Trump hizo sus comentarios menos de tres semanas después del gobernador de Puerto Rico Ricardo Rosselló aceptó los hallazgos de un estudio de la Universidad George Washington que atribuyó 2,975 muertos a María. Trump estaba twitteando mientras el huracán Florence comenzaba a azotar la costa de Carolina del Norte.

“Las declaraciones del presidente que cuestionan el número de muertes de los huracanes Irma y María son deplorables,” Omar Gonzalez-Pagan, un abogado para Lambda Legal que es puertorriqueño, dijo al Washington Blade el jueves desde la capital puertorriqueña de San Juan. “Demuestran que el presidente no solo está divorciado de la realidad, sino también su absoluta indiferencia por el sufrimiento de la gente y, francamente, su crueldad.”

“Casi 3,000 puertorriqueños murieron como resultado de los huracanes María e Irma,” añadió. “Sus vidas cuentan.”

Wilfred Labiosa, cofundador de Waves Ahead, un grupo que ayuda a los puertorriqueños LGBTI y otros grupos vulnerables recuperarse de María, estuvo de acuerdo con Gonzalez-Pagan cuando habló al Blade el jueves desde Puerto Rico. Labiosa añadió que los tweets de Trump “reflectan la falta de aceptación de puertorriqueños como ciudadanos estadounidenses.”

“Refleja que Puerto Rico no es un estado libre asociado, sino una colonia de los EEUU que podemos ser prescindibles para los EEUU,” Labiosa dijo al Blade.

La alcaldesa de San Juan Carmen Yulín Cruz es entre aquellos que siguen ser críticas vocales de la respuesta de Trump a María, que incluyó tirando papel toallas en una multitud de personas en una iglesia en las afueras de San Juan menos de dos semanas después del huracán tocó tierra. Cruz el jueves en una larga declaración dijo que las declaraciones de Trump muestran “una falta de respeto por nuestra realidad y nuestro dolor.”

“El simplemente no puede comprender el sufrimiento humano que su negligencia y falta de sensibilidad nos han causado,” dijo Cruz. “3,000 personas murieron en su vigilancia y su incapacidad de captarlo (es lo que) lo vuelven peligroso.”

Rosselló, que han sido reacio a criticar a Trump, también rechazó los tweets.

“Ni la gente de Puerto Rico ni las víctimas merecen que su dolor sea cuestionado,” Rosselló dijo a CBS News.

Un poste dañado en un barrio de Vieques, Puerto Rico, el 31 de enero de 2018. (Foto de Washington Blade por Michael K. Lavers)

Trump ‘dándole la espalda a todos los que sufren’

María tuvo vientos de 155 mph cuando tocó tierra.

Cientos de miles de puertorriqueños no tenían electricidad o acceso a agua potable durante meses.

Labiosa y otros activistas en Puerto Rico han dicho al Blade que personas con VIH/SIDA no tenían acceso a medicamentos antiretrovirales durante los días y semanas después de María tocó tierra. También han dicho que los puertorriqueños confrontaron discriminación en albergues de emergencia por toda la isla.

Casas con toldos azules como techos temporales todavía eran comunes en la zona metropolitana de San Juan y en el sureste de Puerto Rico en mayo cuando este reportero estuvo en la isla.

David Begnaud, un reportero de CBS News, el jueves reportó FEMA dijo que se mudó millones de botellas de agua a una vieja pista en Ceiba, un municipio en la costa noreste de Puerto Rico, que fueron fotografiadas esta semana con toldos azules resistidos sobre ellas.

BuzzFeed el martes reportó que FEMA solo aprovechó 75 de las 2,431 solicitudes de asistencia funeraria que recibió de puertorriqueños después de María. Trump en el mismo día defendió de nuevo la respuesta de su administración a María mientras hablaba sobre Florence con reporteros a la Casa Blanca.

“Mientras está ocupado tratando de ‘salvar la cara,’ continuará dándole la espalda a todos los que sufren,” dijo Cruz el jueves en su declaración. “En pocas palabras: Está completamente desquiciado de la realidad. Una cosa es segura, nuestras vidas importan y no necesitamos un tweet de Trump para recordarnos eso.”

Labiosa estaba de acuerdo, notando que su organización y otras todavía están ayudando a los puertorriqueños recuperarse de María e Irma. Labiosa también dijo al Blade que Waves Ahead, SAGE Puerto Rico y otros grupos que dan la asistencia a puertorriqueños LGBTI también están trabajando de responder a la creciente crisis de salud mental de la isla.

“La comunidad, la diáspora y las entidades no gubernamentales están haciendo la diferencia por trabajar duras para dar los servicios necesarios a aquellos devastados por los huracanes,” dijo al Blade.

Un poste y árboles dañados en Adjuntas, Puerto Rico, el 2 de febrero de 2018. (Foto de Washington Blade de Michael K. Lavers)

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Arizona

Shooting outside gay bar in Ariz. leaves three dead

Tucson police investigating double murder-suicide as a hate crime

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The shooting happened outside Venture-N bar in Tucson, Ariz. (Washington Blade photo by Michael K. Lavers)

Three people were fatally shot outside a gay bar in Tucson, Ariz., early Monday morning, about a mile from the city’s nightlife district.

Police have said the shooting, which took place in the parking lot of Venture-N bar at 1239 N. 6th Ave., was likely a hate crime and a double murder-suicide following a verbal altercation.

The suspect, Ousman Ceesay, allegedly shot Vincent Anthony Siqueiros and Cameron Davis Capara while they were outside the club around 12:30 a.m. Monday.

Reports show Capara and Siqueiros were pronounced dead at the scene. Ceesay died after being taken to a local hospital with gunshot wounds.

Police have also said that Ceesay was carrying a list of LGBTQ businesses at the time of the shooting.

Arizona Public Media has said police are investigating the case as a hate crime because the suspect was carrying a note containing the names of multiple LGBTQ-associated businesses.

“I am deeply saddened that another senseless loss of life has happened in our community,” Tucson Police Chief Monica Prieto said in a statement. “Bias-based crimes are especially heinous and have no place in our community.”

According to Prieto, there is no imminent threat to the community, and the Tucson Police Department is working to provide extra protection to various LGBTQ businesses across town.

Congresswoman Adelita Grijalva, who represents the area, issued a statement condemning the act of violence, which appears to have been at least in part motivated by homophobia.

“I am disgusted and deeply saddened to learn of a targeted act of hate and the cold-blooded murder of two members of our LGBTQIA+ community, Vincent Siqueiros and Cameron Capara, at the Venture-N bar in Tucson last night. This horrific attack is a painful reminder that even in welcoming communities like Tucson, hate and violence against the LGBTQIA+ community still exist.”

“When that hate is combined with easy access to firearms, the consequences can be deadly. I am sick and tired of Congress refusing to lift a finger to protect our communities while, every day, dozens of people are shot and killed across the country. It does not have to be this way. The House of Representatives is returning to session this week, and our first action should be passing common-sense gun safety reforms that we know can save lives.”

Other federal lawmakers also condemned the shooting.

The Congressional Equality Caucus, which is made up of federal legislators advancing LGBTQ interests, issued a statement after news broke.

“Our hearts are with the friends and loved ones of the victims of this devastating attack outside a Tucson gay bar and with the Tucson LGBTQI+ community,” it said on X. “No one should fear violence because of who they are — and we’re going to continue fighting to build a world where no one does.”

The Human Rights Campaign, the largest LGBTQ organization in the country, released a statement following the shooting.

“We are heartbroken by the loss of Vincent Anthony Siqueiros and Cameron Davis Capara and our hearts are with their families, loved ones, and the entire Tucson LGBTQ+ community. Once again, we are reminded that gun violence robs people of their lives, destroys families, and devastates communities.”

A candlelight vigil honoring the victims is planned for Sept. 2 at 6:30 p.m. at Catalina Park in North Tucson.

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Congress

HRC president campaigns for Chris Pappas in NH

Gay congressman running to succeed retiring U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen

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Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson, left, campaigns with U.S. Rep. Chris Pappas (D-N.H.) in Manchester, N.H., on Aug. 30, 2026. (Photo courtesy of the Human Rights Campaign)

Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson on Sunday campaigned for U.S. Rep. Chris Pappas (D-N.H.) in New Hampshire.

Robinson traveled to Manchester, the state’s largest city, nine days before the Sept. 8 primary that will determine who will vie for retiring U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.)’s seat.

Former U.S. Sen. John E. Sununu, who represented New Hampshire in the U.S. Senate from 2003-2009, will face off against former U.S. Sen. Scott Brown, who represented Massachusetts in the U.S. Senate from 2010-2013, in the Republican primary.

Karishma Manzur is among the Democrats challenging Pappas.

A poll the University of New Hampshire Survey Center released on Aug. 26 shows Sununu is ahead of Brown. The same survey shows Pappas ahead of Manzur and his other Democratic challengers.

The UNH Survey Center poll shows Sununu ahead of Pappas by a 45-43 percent margin if they were to face off in the general election. The margin of error is +/-2.1 percent.

Pappas would become the first openly gay man elected to the U.S. Senate if he were to win in November.

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National

Milo Yiannopoulos deported to UK

ICE arrested far-right provocateur in New Orleans on Thursday

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Milo Yiannopoulos (Photo via Homeland Security @DHSgov/X account)

Editor’s note: The Department of Homeland Security on Saturday said Milo Yiannopoulos has been deported to the U.K.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Thursday arrested far-right provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos.

A DHS spokesperson in a statement sent to the Washington Blade said ICE arrested Yiannopoulos, who they described as “an illegal alien from the United Kingdom,” at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport.

The DHS spokesperson said Yiannopoulos “legally entered the country” in New York on May 14, 2019.

“He chose to overstay his welcome in violation of our nation’s laws,” said the spokesperson.

The DHS spokesperson said an immigration judge on July 22 “issued a final order of removal” for Yiannopoulos “after failing to show up for his immigration hearing.” The Times-Picayune newspaper in New Orleans on Friday reported Yiannopoulos is being held at an ICE detention center in Alexandria, La., which is about 200 miles northwest of the Crescent City.

“He will remain in ICE custody pending removal,” said the DHS spokesperson.

Yiannopoulos has, among other things, repeatedly targeted transgender people and Muslims.

The American Conservative Union, which organizes the annual Conversative Political Action Conference, in 2017 disinvited Yiannopoulos from speaking at that year’s CPAC after a video in which he appeared to condone sex between adults and underage boys emerged. Yiannopoulos subsequently resigned from Breitbart News, a far-right news website, where he had been a senior editor.

Yiannopoulos later that year married his boyfriend in Hawaii. The far-right provocateur in 2021 claimed he was an “ex-gay.”

The Australian government in 2019 banned Yiannopoulos from entering the country “on character grounds.” Yiannopoulos was also banned from Facebook, Twitter (now X), and other social media platforms.

Milo Yiannopoulos speaks at a “Gays for Trump” event during the 2016 Republican National Convention in Cleveland. (Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)

The Times-Picayune reported Yiannopoulos “most recently worked for” Ye, formerly known as Kanye West.

The controversial rapper is scheduled to perform in New Orleans on Friday.

Laura Loomer, a far-right conspiracy theorist who is close to President Donald Trump, has called for Yiannopoulos’s deportation. Loomer on Friday wrote on X that she “reported him to ICE and the FBI” after he “called for me to be assassinated.”

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