Elián remembers Fidel

Elián González, who was returned to his father in Cuba after a drawn-out custody battle between the US government and his distant relatives in Miami, remembers how Fidel took him under his wing after he came back to Cuba. He describes Fidel as a fatherly friend. That the relationship was genuine and close can be heard in his voice — often emotional, at times close to tears. He is intensely proud of his father, of being Cuban…and of Fidel, his friend and mentor, who took a personal interest in his education and well-being in all the years since that day. Today, Elián is an engineer with a university education and a bright future. And he is determined to be of as much service to his people as he can, following Fidel’s example.