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Morning News

Elian Gonzalez Case: Florida Relatives Ask for No Government Action During Holy Week

Aired April 17, 2000 - 10:18 a.m. ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: A federal court may decide as early as today whether Elian Gonzalez should be returned to his father. The government wants the 6-year-old boy to be placed in his father's custody immediately, pending a ruling on the child's immigration status. The Justice Department has asked appellate court judges in Atlanta to lift a temporary order that bars the boy from leaving the country.

Meanwhile, his father, Juan Miguel Gonzalez, has promised to stay in the U.S. while the asylum issue is settled. He spoke with "60 minutes" yesterday, the father said his son is being turned against him.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JUAN MIGUEL GONZALEZ, FATHER OF ELIAN (through translator): This is child abuse and mistreatment, what they are doing to this boy. And it is something that has been induced because these aren't the boy's true feelings. That's not the way this boy feels and I know I'm right in saying that we have to take him back immediately. Because what they are doing is making this child suffer. The way they are abusing him, turning him against his father.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Again, that was last night. This morning let's go live to Miami's Little Havana neighborhood where young Elian has been staying now for nearly five months' time.

Here's Susan Candiotti with us again -- Susan.

SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello Bill.

For Christians, of course, this is the start of Holy Week, and the Gonzalez family here in Florida has asked the government not to take any action through Easter so, as they put it, 6-year-old Elian can spend his first Easter in freedom with them and not with his father.

Now that request coming from Lazaro Gonzalez, Elian's great uncle, who continues to defy an Immigration order to transfer the boy's care to his father. Gonzalez contends the INS has no legal authority over him, only over Elian, and the boy's uncle says he will do nothing to betray the youngster. He considers it a betrayal to surrender Elian to his father.

As you look now at the barricades where demonstrators keep a vigil, there is a bit of a lull here, everyone waiting to hear whether a federal appeals court in Atlanta will uphold a temporary injunction ordering Elian to stay in the U.S. pending his appeals. Now the government has asked that same court to order Elian's Florida relatives to surrender the boy to his father during all appeals. An INS official has said that it is preparing to take enforcement action but only after the court issues its decision.

Susan Candiotti, CNN, recording live in Miami.

HEMMER: Susan, in light of the Juan Miguel Gonzalez interview on "60 Minutes" last night, was there much reaction either from the relatives there or the crowd outside, to his comments?

CANDIOTTI: Well, no reaction from the relatives. As a matter of fact, our cameras observed that once that interview started at the beginning of "60 Minutes," that Elian, his cousin Marisleysis, and one of the great uncles and others actually came outside during the course of that interview and went back indoors once it was over. And no reaction thus far from the people gathered here.

HEMMER: All right, Susan Candiotti live there in Miami, thanks.

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