Demonstrations for Elian in the US
By Hayden Perry
SAN FRANCISCO — Thousands of people demonstrated in six United States cities on February 19 demanding that six-year-old Elian Gonzalez be returned to his father in Cuba (see article on next page).
For six weeks Elian has been held by a great uncle in Miami, surrounded by other anti-Castro relatives. The fact that Elian's father lives in Cuba has turned a simple child custody case into a political cause celebre. Time magazine even put Elian's photograph on its cover on January 17.
In San Francisco, the demonstration was held in a largely Latino neighbourhood. The protesters' slogan, "Clinton, Reno, stop the delay. Send Elian home today!" was echoed in demonstrations in Washington, New York, Milwaukee and Miami. The demand that the US lift its brutal four-decade blockade of Cuba was also prominent.
Several groups which have visited Cuba recently took part in the San Francisco rally. The organisation Global Exchange was a major participant.
A number of native Americans from several tribes have just returned from Cuba where they met with Elian's father. They presented him with a necklace and tribal Indian feathers. Elian asked his father, by phone, to save the gifts for him — he clearly expects and wants to return home.
A tactic being used by the anti-Cuba forces is to delay a resolution of the case for as long as possible. While they dropped their move to make Elian a US citizen, their highly paid lawyers will undoubtedly find other ways to stretch the case out until the public loses interest.
However, the latest Gallup poll (February 14-15) shows that 67% of people in the US support the Immigration and Naturalization Service's decision to return Elian to his father in Cuba, up from 56% on January 7. Only 27% oppose the INS decision. Meanwhile, Cuba's supporters in the US will be in the streets again and again demanding that Elian be reunited with his father, and that the blockade be lifted.