June 18, 2009
Guru hears of a novel way for illegal workers to get residency in an EU country - lose an arm.
This was the strange twist of fate that led Bolivian bakery worker Franns Rilles Melgar from illegal to legal immigrant over the course of a few days in Valencia.
Melgar, 33, had worked illegally at the Rovira bakery in Real de Gandia, Valencia for two years when he suffered an appalling accident at the end of May: while loading flour his left arm was trapped in machinery and ripped off below the shoulder.
The two brothers - not named in the Spanish press - who owned the bakery drove him to the nearest hospital but forgot to bring the severed limb.
This was the strange twist of fate that led Bolivian bakery worker Franns Rilles Melgar from illegal to legal immigrant over the course of a few days in Valencia.
Melgar, 33, had worked illegally at the Rovira bakery in Real de Gandia, Valencia for two years when he suffered an appalling accident at the end of May: while loading flour his left arm was trapped in machinery and ripped off below the shoulder.The two brothers - not named in the Spanish press - who owned the bakery drove him to the nearest hospital but forgot to bring the severed limb.
Possibly more concerned about their own fate than his, they dropped the limbless man, who was bleeding profusely, 200 yards from the hospital
and told him, in Basile del Fawltio style, not to mention where he
worked or what he did. Fortunately a passer-by stopped and helped him
to A&E.
The Guardia Civil retrieved the arm but the brothers had thrown it into a rubbish bin and it could not be re-attached.
The silver lining is that Melgar was granted residency by the Spanish Government, as was his sister Silvia. They're now pressing for their mother to be allowed to live in Spain.
As for the brothers grim they have been summoned to appear before the courts to face a charge of crimes against the rights of workers. Guru thinks some short sharp Islamic type justice might be just the job for these bungling baker boys.
The Guardia Civil retrieved the arm but the brothers had thrown it into a rubbish bin and it could not be re-attached.
The silver lining is that Melgar was granted residency by the Spanish Government, as was his sister Silvia. They're now pressing for their mother to be allowed to live in Spain.
As for the brothers grim they have been summoned to appear before the courts to face a charge of crimes against the rights of workers. Guru thinks some short sharp Islamic type justice might be just the job for these bungling baker boys.
Guru's Tweets