A Voice from Havana

Yamia Alayo Solozano, 15
Rolando Perez Quintosa High, Havana, Cuba

NewsHour Extra Links:

Why Elian Should Stay: Two Maimi teens offer their opinion on the Elian custody case.

Unfriendly Neighbors: How a six-year old boy has aggravated the ongoing feud between the U.S. and Cuba.

Elian Gonzalez: The international custody battle over a six-year- old Cuban boy.

The Close-Up Foundation

The case of Elian Gonzalez is something that can only be described as cruel and atrocious. It's one of those things that no one can really explain; something that is taking place in the United States for political reasons and no one knows exactly how it will all end.

The sad thing is that a little six-year-old boy is being used by his distant relatives in Miami as if he were nothing more than a toy, like he was in a circus. These people are not taking into account his emotional well-being, particularly after he saw his mother drown. Who is going to judge Elian's kidnappers in Miami?

Elian should be allowed to return to Cuba with his dad. But when will this happen? He has to come back soon so he can continue to live a more or less normal life. He has already suffered enough traumatic experiences which will affect him psychologically. The only way he can fully recover is to be together with his immediate family, close friends and his doctor.

Elian's distant relatives in Miami want to hold on to him in order to use him as a political tool against our country. They also want to make money from him and become famous. Everything was staged and manipulated in Miami.

Here in Cuba, we will continue to work hard so that this story has a happy ending. It should never have gone this far. Soon, Elian and other students like me will be able to get back to our studies and live in peace.

What do you think? Should we continue to ban trade and investment in Cuba? Or should we try to have stronger relations with our southern neighbor?

El caso del niño cubano Elián González Bortons es para mi un hecho que puedo calificar de bárbaro y atroz, son de esas cosas que nadie se explica que se pueden cometer en EEUU que tienen un manejo político sin uno poder verles el final.

Lo triste es que los familiares lejanos de Miami tuvieron al pequeñito de solo 6 años como si fuera un muñeco, mostrándolo como si estuviera en un real circo sin tener en cuenta sus malos recuerdos después de lo sucedido con su mamá en la travesía. ¿Quién juzgará a los secuestradores en Miami?

Que Elián debe regresar con su papá si seria lo correcto, pero cabria preguntarse ¿cuando? Sí regresaran y creo que sería lo justo para que pueda continuar el curso mas o menos normal de su vida, ya que con el trauma sufrido por el niño habrá huellas en sus recuerdos que nunca podrá borrar pero que solo junto a sus familiares reales, amigos cercanos y el medio que él vio desde que nació podrán hacer lograr que se recupere mas pronto.

La familia lejana de Miami se adueñó del niño con el solo propósito de hacer un juego político contra nuestro país y también con el bochornoso propósito de ganar dinero y popularidad que por lo visto lo maneja todo en Miami.

En nuestro país seguimos luchando incansablemente para lograr que este hecho (que nunca debió llegar a estas alturas) pueda tener un buen final y Elian al igual que yo pueda estudiar con tranquilidad.