Miami calm as Elian's U.S. departure nears

Those who wanted Elian to stay in the United States gather outside the former home of the boy's Miami relatives

But emotions take toll on boy's U.S. relatives

June 28, 2000
Web posted at: 2:08 p.m. EDT (1808 GMT)

MIAMI (CNN) -- Despite the likelihood that Elian Gonzalez's stay in the United States will end Wednesday, authorities in Miami were not expecting violence or major demonstrations. Cuban-American leaders said that while the battle was lost, they would continue to oppose Cuba's communist leadership.

The U.S. Supreme Court cleared the way for the 6-year-old boy's return to Cuba by refusing to hear an appeal filed by his Miami relatives, who had waged a seven-month legal battle to keep Elian in the United States against his father's wishes.

ALSO Supreme Court refuses to hear Gonzalez family appeal Elian's pending return gets low-key treatment in Havana     MESSAGE BOARD US/Cuba relations

That means a court order keeping Elian in the United States expires at 4 p.m. EDT Wednesday.

By evening, Elian and his Cuban relatives -- now staying in the Washington area -- could be home.

"This, to us, is not a political defeat. We are involved in a war. This is just a battle," Jose Basulto of the Cuban exile group Brothers to the Rescue told CNN after hearing the news. "This is a family tragedy for this community."

Lawyers for the boy's U.S. relatives planned a news conference later in the day.

Lazaro Gonzalez -- complaining that his privacy was being invaded -- angrily walked up to a television reporter and a cameraman

The disappointed relatives, meantime, huddled along the shore of Miami's Biscayne Bay after hearing the news.

Upset by the nearby presence of a television reporter and cameraman, Elian's great-uncle, Lazaro Gonzalez, angrily walked up to the pair, complaining that his privacy was being invaded. He resisted as his daughter, Marisleysis, tried to pull him away.

While Lazaro Gonzalez's temper flared momentarily, there was no violence.

Earlier, Marisleysis and others from the Miami branch of the family stopped by their former home in Miami's Little Havana neighborhood, where federal agents carried out an early morning raid to remove Elian in April.

A handful of protesters gathered quietly outside but were greatly outnumbered by journalists.

Marisleysis, accompanied by a small boy, brushed aside reporters' questions, then later went to a church. She was accompanied by another of Elian's great-uncles, Delfin Gonzalez, who complained that the news media failed to report Cuba's abuses.

The gathering outside the Little Havana home was relatively subdued Wednesday

The subdued gathering in Little Havana was a far cry from the days in April when chanting crowds packed the street, vowing to form a human chain to stop federal agents from taking Elian.

Flags and signs still draped the chain-link fence in front of the home. "Wake up America -- fraud is not the law," said one. "Clinton and Gore love communists," said another.

There appeared to be resignation among Cuban-Americans that what they feared most -- Elian's return to Cuba -- is about to happen.

And if it does, the community response is expected to be relatively peaceful.

"We abide by the law," Cuban-American activist Sylvia Iriondo told CNN. "We'll be very saddened thinking about what the child will have to encounter upon his return to Cuba. But we will continue our struggle, so there are no more children like Elian."

Correspondent Mark Potter and Reuters contributed to this report.

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