Re: Elian's rescue

["Johannes Schneider" <Johannes.Schneider@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Here are the press releases from the Cuban government:

http://www.ain.cubaweb.cu/e567rescate.htm

Comunicaciones al pueblo cubano sobre el rescate de Elián

COMUNICADO NUMERO DOS

La actitud de la población cubana debe ser serena, discreta y digna

La Habana, 22 abr (ain) Pasadas las siete y cuarto de la maÑana de hoy sabado, 
el
Gobierno cubano dio a conocer la nota numero dos   sobre el rescate de Elian 
Gonzalez:

Se conoce que el avion que conduce a Elian se dirige hacia la base aerea 
Andrews en la
capital de Estados Unidos, que el niño sigue bien en la propia aeronave y juega 
con
una de las personas del grupo que lo acompaña.

Se solicita a nuestra poblacion que cualquiera que sean las informaciones que 
reciban,
se abstenga de realizar manifestaciones publicas.

Su actitud debe ser serena, discreta y digna.

Cualquier otra forma de conducta podria influir negativamente en la evolucion 
futura
de la situacion.

COMUNICADO NUMERO UNO

Hacia Washington el nino Elian Gonzalez

La Habana, 22 abr (ain) El gobierno cubano informo que a las cinco y cinco de la
manana de hoy sabado un operativo federal del Gobierno de Estados Unidos 
penetro en la
residencia de Lazaro Gonzalez en Miami y tomo en sus manos al niño secuestrado 
Elian
Gonzalez.

La operacion duro apenas de tres a cinco minutos.

La nota señala que algunas personas estaban en los alrededores de la casa y no
ofrecieron resistencia.

La escena fue filmada por varias cadenas de television.

Una hora despues de haber sacado al niño, Juan Miguel Gonzalez recibio noticias 
de que
Elian se encontraba bien y que estaba en un vuelo junto a agentes federales 
hacia
Washington.

La poblacion sera informada en la medida en que avancen los acontecimientos.

-----Ursprüngliche Nachricht-----
Von: Johannes Schneider <Johannes.Schneider@xxxxxxx>
An: marxism@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx <marxism@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Datum: Samstag, 22. April 2000 15:55
Betreff: Re: Elian's rescue


>
>>I hear Elian has been rescued by the FBI. Of course, that was the easy
>>and predictable part. Now, it seems, a tiresome and protracted struggle
>>awaits to take him back home to Cuba. There will be "hearings",
>>blackmail, attempts at bribery, judicial-ideological and mediatic
>>terrorism, what have you.
>>
>>
>>João Paulo
>>
>Here is an account from the BBC site:
>
>http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/americas/newsid_722000/722591.stm
>
>US federal agents have seized six-year-old Cuban shipwreck survivor Elian 
>Gonzalez in
>a pre-dawn raid from the home of his relatives in Miami.
>A swat team of about 25 officers broke down the door of the home of the boy's 
>uncle,
>Lazaro Gonzalez, and re-emerged seconds later with the boy wrapped in a 
>blanket.
>
>The moment that Elian was snatched
>
> They bundled the screaming boy into a vehicle and drove him away in an 
> unmarked car
>under cover of darkness, as people outside the house shouted protests.
>
>Chaotic scenes followed outside the house as the officers retreated. Pepper 
>spray was
>used to keep back the crowd.
>
>The US Justice Department said Elian had been safely removed from the Miami 
>house and
>was on his way to a reunion with his father. It was unclear where the reunion 
>would
>take place.
>
>The White House has issued a statement saying that President Clinton supported 
>the
>operation to seize the boy.
>
>Elian has been at the centre of a bitter custody battle between his Miami 
>relatives
>and his Cuban father since he was shipwrecked off the Florida coast last 
>November.
>
>
>
>
>Family grief: Elian's cousin Marisleysis Gonzalez (right) weeps
>
> Donato Dalrymple, one of the fisherman who rescued Elian last year, was in 
> the home
>at the time of the snatch.
>
>He said federal agents pointed guns at the family and shouted: "Give me the 
>boy or
>I'll shoot you!"
>
>As they left, the officers are reported to have shouted "Bingo! Bingo!" as a 
>signal
>that they had the boy.
>
>Anger
>
>There were angry scenes on Saturday morning as members of Miami's Cuban exile
>community threw stones at federal officers.
>
>
>We're going to close Miami
>
>
>Protester outside the house
> Supporters of Elian's Miami family have been expressing their anger and grief
>outside the home.
>
>Mr Dalrymple said: "They took this kid like a hostage in the night time. They 
>should
>let him come out with dignity."
>
>A man in the crowd promised civil disobedience. "We're going to close Miami," 
>he
>said.
>
>Some protesters were tearing up US flags. Other members of the Cuban exile 
>community
>tried to stop them.
>
>The mayor of Miami, Joe Carollo, described the federal action as shameful and
>unnecessary.
>
>Talks fail
>
>The move to seize Elian comes after the apparent failure of late-night 
>negotiations
>on a compromise solution that might have allowed some form of joint custody 
>between
>Elian's Miami family and his father, Juan Miguel Gonzalez.
>
>The US authorities had made clear a forceful seizure of Elian was a 
>possibility if
>last-minute efforts to reunite him with his father through negotiation failed.
>
>US Attorney-General Janet Reno had said that any government action would be 
>measured
>and reasonable in order to spare the boy any more trauma.
>
>Our correspondent reports that Cuban leaders believe the operation will have 
>caused
>Elian everlasting emotional damage.
>
>