Throughout the ordeal, Elián's father always insisted he wanted the boy to return to Cuba. But many Cuban Americans speculated that Juan Miguel wasn't operating under free will — but rather under threat, and in the shadow of Fidel Castro.

As the Miami family refused to hand Elián over to his father, tensions boiled over and negotiations began. The Attorney General, lawyers and other negotiators tried to bring the two sides together. As Elián started to disappear from the public eye, authorities became increasingly worried about the boy's safety and well-being.



This season's cover art by Ranfis Suárez Ramos.



Thanks to These Archival Sources: 

Lynn and Louis Wolfson II Florida Moving Image Archives

Original Material Appeared In: 

7 News at 5pm

ABC Evening News

ABC Nightline

AP Archive

CBS Evening News

CNN

C-SPAN

Martí Noticias

NBC Evening News

Periódico Escambray

The Guardian

Univison

Throughout the ordeal, Elián's father always insisted he wanted the boy to return to Cuba. But many Cuban Americans speculated that Juan Miguel wasn't operating under free will — but rather under threat, and in the shadow of Fidel Castro.
As the Miami family refused to hand Elián over to his father, tensions boiled over and negotiations began. The Attorney General, lawyers and other negotiators tried to bring the two sides together. As Elián started to disappear from the public eye, authorities became increasingly worried about the boy's safety and well-being.
 
This season's cover art by Ranfis Suárez Ramos.
 
Thanks to These Archival Sources: 
Lynn and Louis Wolfson II Florida Moving Image Archives
Original Material Appeared In: 
7 News at 5pm
ABC Evening News
ABC Nightline
AP Archive
CBS Evening News
CNN
C-SPAN
Martí Noticias
NBC Evening News
Periódico Escambray
The Guardian
Univison

At the turn of the millennium, a five-year-old boy from Cuba found off the Florida coast on Thanksgiving became the most talked about child in America. Elián González had left Cuba with his mom and a dozen other migrants, trying to make it to the U.S. but on the way, the boat capsized. Elián’s mother drowned. Before she did, she tied her child to an inner tube, saving his life.

Relatives in Miami — Cuban exiles — took the boy in. His father in Cuba wanted him back. The ensuing international custody battle over Elián González became its own mini Cold War, pitting Cuban exiles in Miami against supporters of Castro’s regime on an island just 90 miles away. 

The fight over Elián’s future came down to neighbor against neighbor, family against family. Now, 25 years later — we revisit his story through the voices of people who lived it firsthand.



Episodes drop every Wednesday, starting 9/25/24.

At the turn of the millennium, a five-year-old boy from Cuba found off the Florida coast on Thanksgiving became the most talked about child in America. Elián González had left Cuba with his mom and a dozen other migrants, trying to make it to the U.S. but on the way, the boat capsized. Elián’s mother drowned. Before she did, she tied her child to an inner tube, saving his life.
Relatives in Miami — Cuban exiles — took the boy in. His father in Cuba wanted him back. The ensuing international custody battle over Elián González became its own mini Cold War, pitting Cuban exiles in Miami against supporters of Castro’s regime on an island just 90 miles away. 
The fight over Elián’s future came down to neighbor against neighbor, family against family. Now, 25 years later — we revisit his story through the voices of people who lived it firsthand.
 
Episodes drop every Wednesday, starting 9/25/24.

Chess Piece: The Elián González Story

La Sombra

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/5564cbb0-d8c8-427d-b704-b20400edf75a/transcript

After taking you through the Elián González story, we’re sharing some reporting and interview content that didn’t make it into our narrative series.

This week, Peniley and producer, Tasha Sandoval, sit down to reflect on their experiences reporting on this project, particularly through their perspectives as Cubans: Peniley, a Cuban who grew up in Cuba, and Tasha, a second-generation Cuban-American.

During the Elian saga, the Cuban American community in Miami gained a negative reputation as “crazy,” something that came up in several interviews. We hear from writer Vanessa Garcia and former Executive Director of the Cuban American National foundation, Joe Garcia, to reflect on how this perception of “Crazy Cubans” and that the community lost the narrative, may have reverberations to this day.



This season's cover art by Ranfis Suárez Ramos.

After taking you through the Elián González story, we’re sharing some reporting and interview content that didn’t make it into our narrative series.
This week, Peniley and producer, Tasha Sandoval, sit down to reflect on their experiences reporting on this project, particularly through their perspectives as Cubans: Peniley, a Cuban who grew up in Cuba, and Tasha, a second-generation Cuban-American.
During the Elian saga, the Cuban American community in Miami gained a negative reputation as “crazy,” something that came up in several interviews. We hear from writer Vanessa Garcia and former Executive Director of the Cuban American National foundation, Joe Garcia, to reflect on how this perception of “Crazy Cubans” and that the community lost the narrative, may have reverberations to this day.
 
This season's cover art by Ranfis Suárez Ramos.

"Crazy Cubans"

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/c2f42f30-1caa-4d7d-9582-b22900e86e70/transcript

Peniley tells us the story of Elián after he returned to Cuba, where he studied engineering, fell in love and had a daughter. Back in his country, Elián became a favorite of Fidel Castro, much to the chagrin of Miami Cubans. Peniley reflects on Elián's journey and her own relationship with Cuba. She speaks to her children about her and Elián's Cubanismo.



This season's cover art by Ranfis Suárez Ramos. 

Original Material Appeared In: 

Al Jazeera English

AP Archive

Belly of The Beast

CNN's "Elián: The Remarkable Story of A Cuban Boy's Journey to America"

CNN

Fidel Castro Ruz, Soldado de las Ideas

La Caja de Pandora

Peniley tells us the story of Elián after he returned to Cuba, where he studied engineering, fell in love and had a daughter. Back in his country, Elián became a favorite of Fidel Castro, much to the chagrin of Miami Cubans. Peniley reflects on Elián's journey and her own relationship with Cuba. She speaks to her children about her and Elián's Cubanismo.
 
This season's cover art by Ranfis Suárez Ramos. 
Original Material Appeared In: 
Al Jazeera English
AP Archive
Belly of The Beast
CNN's "Elián: The Remarkable Story of A Cuban Boy's Journey to America"
CNN
Fidel Castro Ruz, Soldado de las Ideas
La Caja de Pandora

Being Home

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/30e57319-b4aa-4376-ae30-b222012d21e1/transcript

Elián and his dad went back to Cuba in June 2000, just four months before the US Presidential election between George W. Bush and Al Gore. Miami Cubans, hurt and angered by President Bill Clinton’s handling of the Elián case, resolved to vote against the Democrats and for the Republicans in what was called el voto castigo — the punishment vote.

To understand the political influence of Cuban-Americans, the stakes, and lasting impact of this moment, producer Tasha Sandoval takes the mic. We meet Tasha’s grandmother, an 87-year-old Miami Cuban, and learn how her story as a first wave Cuban exile informs her perspective.



This season's cover art by Ranfis Suárez Ramos. 

Thanks to These Archival Sources: 

Lynn and Louis Wolfson II Florida Moving Image Archives

Original Material Appeared In: 

ABC News

AP Archive

CBS News

CNN Evening News

C-SPAN

Democracy Now!

HBO's "537 Votes"

Museum of the Moving Image

National Archives

NBC Evening News

NBC News

PBS NewsHour

Retro Report

The New York Times

Voice of America

YouTube/Plopsmom

Elián and his dad went back to Cuba in June 2000, just four months before the US Presidential election between George W. Bush and Al Gore. Miami Cubans, hurt and angered by President Bill Clinton’s handling of the Elián case, resolved to vote against the Democrats and for the Republicans in what was called el voto castigo — the punishment vote.
To understand the political influence of Cuban-Americans, the stakes, and lasting impact of this moment, producer Tasha Sandoval takes the mic. We meet Tasha’s grandmother, an 87-year-old Miami Cuban, and learn how her story as a first wave Cuban exile informs her perspective.
 
This season's cover art by Ranfis Suárez Ramos. 
Thanks to These Archival Sources: 
Lynn and Louis Wolfson II Florida Moving Image Archives
Original Material Appeared In: 
ABC News
AP Archive
CBS News
CNN Evening News
C-SPAN
Democracy Now!
HBO's "537 Votes"
Museum of the Moving Image
National Archives
NBC Evening News
NBC News
PBS NewsHour
Retro Report
The New York Times
Voice of America
YouTube/Plopsmom

The Punishment Vote

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/f626cf10-2624-41bc-bb5b-b21b011943ca/transcript

La Sombra

In 1 playlist(s)

Chess Piece: The Elián González Story

Social links

Follow podcast

Recent clips