Elián González joins Communist youth group, AP says

Monday, June 16, 2008 

The then 7-year-old Elián González in the arms of his father after their reunion at Andrews Air Force Base on April 22, 2000.

The Associated Press is reporting that Elián González was among the 18,000 youths who joined Cuba's Young Communist Union on Saturday. Juventud Rebelde, the communist youth newspaper, quoted González as saying that he will never let down ex-president Fidel Castro and his brother, Raul Castro.

An international custody battle centering around González became the focus of much media attention eight years ago. The boy had survived a boating accident when he and his mother fled Cuba to go to the United States. His mother did not survive the accident.

Elián González turns 15 in December.

Sources

• Demian McLean. "Ex-Refugee Elian Gonzalez Joins Cuba Communist Group" — Bloomberg L.P., June 16, 2008
• Demian McLean. "Elian Gonzalez, Ex-Refugee, Joins Cuba Communist Group, AP Says" — Bloomberg L.P., June 16, 2008
• Associated Press. "Elian Gonzalez joins Cuba's Young Communists" — The New York Times, June 16, 2008
• Associated Press. "Elian Gonzalez joins Cuba's Young Communists" — CTV Television Network, June 15, 2008
• Associated Press. "Elian Gonzalez joins Cuba's Young Communist Union" — Daily News (New York), June 15, 2008
• Hugo García. "Un verdadero día de triunfo" — Juventud Rebelde (newspaper), June 15, 2008 (Spanish)