Elián González two decades on: From focus of international tug-of-war to member of Cuba’s congress

By ANDREA RODRÍGUEZ
Associated Press

HAVANA (AP) — Elián González has the same big, expressive eyes he did 23 years ago when an international custody battle transformed him into the face of the long-strained relations between Cuba and the United States. Now 29, González is stepping into Cuban politics. He recently entered his country’s congress with hopes of helping his people at a time of record emigration and heightened tension between the t wo seaside neighbors. In an exclusive interview with The Associated Press,  González said that “Cuba, we can do a lot so that we have a more solid country, and I owe it to Cubans.”