Long before the Highbrid Nation Revolution, even before 9/11 the international custody and immigration status of a 6 year old Cuban boy, Elián González topped the headlines.

González emigrated from Cuba to the US together with his mother. His mother didn’t survive the trip, his father, Juan Miguel González wanted his son back in Cuba, while his relatives in the US wanted him to stay.

The battle that insued, became the international Alamo for these two long standing rival countries.  The Elián González saga also exposed deep divisions among the residents in Miami. The cities defecting Cuban population demonstrated in favor of Elián staying in the United States while others were in favor of sending the boy back to live with his father.  The debat some would argue was ultimately the reason, Al Gore lost Florida and thus the entire Presidential Election in 2000.

10 years later, we’ve long since moved our attentions on to other debates but where is Elián now? As a matter of fact, Now 16 year old Elián is becoming the poster child for the Cuban cause.   This new picture released by the Cuban government as propaganda shows the once international phenomenon sporting a wearing an olive-green military school uniform with red shoulder patches, as he attends a Young Communist Union meeting.  The photo was accompanied with the title “Young Elian Gonzalez defends his revolution in the youth congress.”  I wonder how his relatives in Miami feel about that.