The 470 members of the Cuban National Assembly were elected yesterday (Monday), and they included Elian Gonzalez Brutons, the Cuban boy who arrived in South Florida in 1999 at the age of six - and found himself at the center of an international custody battle between his father in Cuba and his family in Miami.
The confrontation then led to a diplomatic crisis between Cuba and the United States.
On November 25, 1999, six-year-old Elian was found by fishermen floating on a tire about three miles off the coast of Fort Lauderdale.
His mother, Elizabeth Borutones, and 11 other people died on a sea voyage from Cuba to the United States when their boat capsized.
Elian, the only survivor, stayed at sea for two days
The raid by FBI agents (Photo: Reuters)
Eliane Gonzalez (photo: screenshot, Twitter)
Elian's uncle, Lazaro Gonzalez, and other relatives welcomed the boy in Miami and tried to get custody of him.
In January 2000, the US Immigration Service (INS) announced that Elian's father, Juan Miguel who lives in Cuba, would receive custody.
In April of that year, Eliane's relatives in Florida refused to hand him over to the father.
Federal agents raided the uncle's house in Miami and took the boy.
Elian was reunited with his father after a few hours.
The family dispute caused tensions between Cuba and the United States.
Cuban President at the time Fidel Castro led protests in front of the US Embassy in Havana demanding the return of aliens to the island.
Cuban leaders who fled from her vowed on the other hand that they would not allow the return of the child to a dictatorial state.
In the end, the Supreme Court denied the Elian family's request for custody in Miami.
In June 2000, Elian and his father returned to Cuba.
Elian was received in Cuba by President Castro, who was also the guest of honor on his seventh birthday.
The two remained close throughout Castro's life.
In 2008, Elian joined Cuba's Young Communist League at the age of 14.
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