Elian Gonzalez is still a hero in Cuba, 17 years after his rescue or removal from the U.S. – however one views the little boy’s dramatic slow-motion departure from Miami, Florida – but his image here has faded.
CNN noted he was still just a child when he returned to his father in Cuba to follow a normal life there after a lengthy custody battle with relatives in the U.S.
A normal life did not pan out for Gonzalez. He remains a popular public figure across the globe and has become an icon to his generation for supporting the Cuban Revolution.
On Thursday night, CNN airs the documentary “Elián,” which explores the custody battle that was launched to determine whether the boy should return to his father on the island or remain with his Miami relatives after his mother drowned at sea while trying to cross to the U.S.
The final decision eventually was made by the U.S. Supreme Court.
“Elián” takes a detailed look at what unfolded before and after that fateful decision. It features candid interviews with key role players as well as archived news footage.
Six-year-old Elian Gonzalez was found on Thanksgiving Day in 1999, floating in an inner tube in the Florida straits. He had been traveling with his mother, Elizabeth Brotons Rodríguez, and several other people fleeing from Cuba to the U.S on a rickety boat that capsized.
The Miami Herald reported that Elizabeth Brotons Rodríguez had taken her son without permission from his father, her ex-husband, Juan Miguel González.
Juan Miguel González fought to bring his son back to Cuba with the backing of Cuban leader Fidel Castro. However, Elian Gonzalez’s Miami relatives believed the boy would be brainwashed by Castro if he returned home and refused to hand over the boy.
The custody battle gained international attention.
According to CNN, a raid by armed federal agents was staged to seize the child, which led to riots breaking out in Miami as angry Cuban-American community members spoke out.
Multiple court proceedings were held to determine the boy’s fate. Finally the Supreme Court ruled that Elian Gonzalez be returned to his father.
The documentary airs on CNN at 10 p.m., with a repeat airing on Friday at 2 a.m. EST.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.