The tug-of-war over Elián González continued last week. Deadlines to return Elián to his father came and went. But neither side in the battle for the little Cuban boy seemed willing to budge.
Ever since he was rescued from the waters off the coast of Florida five months ago, Elián has lived with his Miami relatives. The U.S. government has ordered them to return Elián to Cuba and to his father Juan Miguel González. Although the relatives insist they do not want to break the law, they refuse to hand over Elián. "They will have to take this child from me with force," vows Elián's great-uncle Lázaro González.
Some 4,000 demonstrators gathered in front of the González home in Miami. They were determined to block any efforts to take the boy.
Elián's father arrived in the U.S. on April 6, and still had not seen his son by last Friday. His lawyer says Elián is being held "unlawfully and against his father's will."
The Miami relatives released a video that they said showed Elián's true feelings. "Papa, I do not want to return to Cuba," he says. But many adults doubt that a 6-year-old can really choose between two countries and two families.