From Futura media and PRX, it's Latino USA. I'm Maria Inohosa.

Last time, we heard the first episode of the Elian Gonzales story about a young Cuban boy rescued at sea.

But what followed after he was found

was a diplomatic crisis between the United States and Cuba.

In the last episode we heard all about how Elian Gonzalez was rescued alone from the

Florida Strait. His mother died while trying to cross from Cuba and the boy was placed with relatives he had in Miami.

The Miami relatives believed it was his mother's dream for Elian to stay in the United States, but his father in Cuba wanted his boy back.

We pick up the story now with episode two of chess piece, the Elian Gonzalez story.

Here's host and Latino USA co-executive producer,

Benny Lé Ramirez.

When Elian made it to Miami, I was 12 years old, living in Cuba. My younger brother Juan Carlos, who we call

Juan Qui was eight. Juankey, like me, remembers Helian's face was everywhere.

Yeah, of course, and they made shirts and posters and all over the school.

It was the flavor of the month, you know?

Helian's story was more than just the flavor of the month, actually.

It was a national cause.

Before Elian was even rescued, his family in Cuba had contacted the Communist Party in his hometown, seeking help.

That's how Fidel Castro found out about Ilian.

The Cuban government sent a message to the US the day after Elian was found.

Regresse in the minio supapane Cuba, returned the boy to his father in Cuba.

In the days that followed, Castro met with Elian's father and became increasingly angry.

The only one year was his has been the father and the father

...