Grandmothers, Elian at Neutral Site
By Alex Veiga
Associated Press Writer
Wednesday, Jan. 26, 2000; 6:05 p.m. EST
MIAMI BEACH, Fla. ?? Elian Gonzalez and his grandmothers arrived Wednesday at a "neutral site" for a reunion that had to be arranged by the U.S. government because of the personal and political passions swirling around the 6-year-old Cuban boy.
Elian was driven to a nun's house in Miami Beach to see his grandmothers, who had flown in from Washington and were then brought to the home in a helicopter.
The grandmothers came to the United States last week to appeal directly to the American people and Congress to send the boy back to his father in Cuba. Elian's relatives in Miami want him to stay and are fighting a U.S. government order sending him back.
The grandmothers were to see Elian privately, with the boy's Florida relatives nearby in the house.
Justice Department spokeswoman Carole Florman said the women would not be allowed to take the boy home with them afterward. A lawyer for Elian's relatives, Spencer Eig, said the visit was expected to last two hours.
A few people tossed flowers at the car that took the women from the helicopter to the house. Some demonstrators outside the home cheered and others booed as the grandmothers were driven by.
The grandmothers had also flown to Miami on Monday but left town without seeing Elian. They said they were uncomfortable going to the house in Miami's Little Havana neighborhood where the relatives have been caring for the boy. Anti-Castro Cuban immigrants have been holding protests around the home.
Mariela Quintana and Raquel Rodriguez had not seen their grandson since before he left Cuba for the United States with his mother, who died along with 10 other people when their boat capsized. Elian was found clinging to an inner tube off the Florida coast on Nov. 25.
The reunion was being held at the home of Sister Jeanne O'Laughlin, president of Barry University. O'Laughlin, 70, has a history of helping immigrants and had said she would serve as "welcomer" and "hugger."
On Capitol Hill, Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott indicated he has no solid plans for handling legislation next week to give Elian U.S. citizenship, which would remove the boy from the jurisdiction of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, the agency that ordered him back to Cuba.
"There are a lot of extenuating circumstances," Lott said. "Obviously it could come up next week. But there are a lot of people looking at this issue and there may be developments between now and then."
To take effect, the measure would have to pass both houses and be signed by President Clinton, who has not ruled out a veto.
The two grandmothers met with several members of Congress this week and asked them not to pass such a bill.
"It's our right to see our grandson and take him back home," said Mrs. Quintana, the child's paternal grandmother.
Despite no prospect of taking Elian with them, his grandmothers were still looking forward to the visit.
"I don't know if I'll cry or if I'll laugh," Mrs. Rodriguez, Elian's maternal grandmother, told CNN on Tuesday.
Eig said Elian was "a little bit afraid to go all by himself because he's afraid they might be forced to take him back to Cuba."
The grandmothers have said Elian has told them by telephone that he wants to return to Cuba. |
