Havana, June 28 (RHC)-- A quarter of a century separates Cuba today from that June 28, 2000, and the powerful memory for the world of the return of a father and his son, which signified the consummation of the struggle of an entire people to achieve that long-awaited reunion.

Now 31 years old, Elian González Brotons is grateful for the privilege of sharing his experiences with Commander in Chief Fidel Castro Ruz, the main architect of the popular mobilization that brought him back to his native Cárdenas with that extended family of Cubans, also a gift from the historic leader of the Cuban Revolution.

He was just a six-year-old pioneer when, on November 22, 1999, his mother illegally attempted to smuggle him out of Cuba.  This led to the sinking of the boat they were traveling on, resulting in the deaths of 11 of the occupants, including his mother, except for Elian, and two others.

The boy, clinging to a tire, was rescued by fishermen and taken to U.S. territory, where, following his father's just demand, he became the center of a battle for an entire people who never stopped fighting for his return.

Upon arriving in Florida, the child was placed in the care of Lázaro González, a paternal great-uncle living in Miami, who soon afterward, in open complicity with the anti-Cuban mafia, opposed any attempt to return him to Cuba.

This marked the beginning of a long legal and judicial battle, following the refusal of anti-Cuban groups to recognize Juan Miguel's right to parental authority and return the child to him. This was followed by popular mobilizations that ultimately led to his return on June 28, 2000.