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BlueWaveNeverEnd

(15,549 posts) Tue Jun 30, 2026, 10:47 PM 6 hrs ago

Venezuelans deported from the U.S. were killed hours later in powerful quakes

https://www.npr.org/2026/06/30/nx-s1-5875287/venezuela-deportees-us-quakes

The last time Georgelyss Montes saw her best friend, Angelo Mejía Meléndez, was four years ago, at a goodbye party before he left for the U.S.

"We were like, 'You are stupid for leaving us!" she joked.

Last week, she got word he was coming home, unexpectedly, as a deportee. Mejía Meléndez was one of 146 Venezuelan nationals who landed in Caracas after being deported from the U.S. on Wednesday.

Passengers on that plane, which included women and children, were being processed in a guarded hotel in La Guaira when powerful twin earthquakes struck, according to family members. The building they were in pancaked.
The family of Mejía Meléndez had planned to celebrate with him once back home. Instead, they had to spend days searching hospitals and morgues. Ultimately, they identified his body by a distinctive pizza tattoo on his arm.

5 replies

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Venezuelans deported from the U.S. were killed hours later in powerful quakes (Original Post) BlueWaveNeverEnd 6 hrs ago OP

link between deportations and earthquake deaths - - - exceedingly tenuous stopdiggin 5 hrs ago #1

To me, the larger point is the tragic irony of Fate (and, yes,. ColoringFool 5 hrs ago #2

certainly. there is a large dollop of (rather cruel) irony here. stopdiggin 2 hrs ago #5

It's a direct link- read the post again, 146 deportees were killed when their hotel pancaked. Blues Heron 5 hrs ago #3

because Trump is of course in control of natural disasters (and deaths) in S.America stopdiggin 2 hrs ago #4

stopdiggin

(15,848 posts)

1. link between deportations and earthquake deaths - - - exceedingly tenuous

Reply to BlueWaveNeverEnd (Original post)

Tue Jun 30, 2026, 11:43 PM

5 hrs ago

Venezuela has suffered a horrific natural disaster and loss of life in compounding tragedy.

But - let's make it (somehow) about us ...

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ColoringFool

(1,412 posts)

2. To me, the larger point is the tragic irony of Fate (and, yes,.

Reply to stopdiggin (Reply #1)

Tue Jun 30, 2026, 11:53 PM

5 hrs ago

how the Trump Administration had a role in it).

Similar to that of the person who escaped one of the WTC buildings on 9/11/01, only to perish in the crash of a plane heading to the "safe haven" of the Dominican Republic a few months later.

stopdiggin

(15,848 posts)

5. certainly. there is a large dollop of (rather cruel) irony here.

Reply to ColoringFool (Reply #2)

Wed Jul 1, 2026, 02:53 AM

2 hrs ago

And that is the way the world turns some times. Sucks. Tremendously. But that's the way it works.

Blues Heron

(9,140 posts)

3. It's a direct link- read the post again, 146 deportees were killed when their hotel pancaked.

Reply to stopdiggin (Reply #1)

Wed Jul 1, 2026, 12:15 AM

5 hrs ago

Nothing tenuous about it. Trump sent them directly to their death

stopdiggin

(15,848 posts)

4. because Trump is of course in control of natural disasters (and deaths) in S.America

Reply to Blues Heron (Reply #3)

Wed Jul 1, 2026, 02:48 AM

2 hrs ago

OK then ....
How could I have possibly not understood the basic equation here ....
Cause and effect, right? Clear as daylight!

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