When Elian and his mother left Cuba for America, his dad -- happily remarried with new offspring -- called the Miami family to make sure they knew they were coming.
Elian stayed with them for months before his dad decided he "wanted him back".
In the meantime, on the island to the south, the stories of the ordeal and rescue began to take on mythical proportions -- the child, still afloat after the sinking of the boat because of the prayers and ultimate sacrifice of his mother, protected by dolphins until, on the third day, he was plucked up by the fisherman on Thanksgiving. Ahhhh... El Salvador de Cuba, the one to come back and save them from the tyrant.
Castro didn't like that.
So he took control of the Gonzalez family while the CRBs at the NCC paid for the (Clinton) lawyers to save their Papa Fidel's reputation.
Daddy was flown into the US -- stopped in Florida but didn't go to visit his relatives or his son -- but was, instead, immediately flown to D.C. and then whisked away to Cuban property while his mom relaxed under house arrest in Havana.
Sorry, "pcx99", but the whole incident still, to put it mildly, sickens me. And I consider supporters of his return to Cuba to be snoozers. Please don't take that personally.
Sorry, "pcx99", but the whole incident still, to put it mildly, sickens me.
Absolutely, AnnaZ, that's the Elian affair in a word: sickening.
pcx99, you might wish to play a while in the FR archives from the time. I'm not interested in re-living it, but neither do I want to forget it.
Elian's "fifteen minutes"? Hell no. Elian's monument lies in the hearts of those who yet hurt for him, and who yet cringe over what was done to him.
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JV, nice to see ya, you old thief. How's the Bro? I'll be away, and can't make the DC Chapter party. Please say hello to folks for me, if you're there.
Luis, was in Miami a few weeks ago, and I thought of Elian and all you good folk who fought so hard for him.