Chess Piece: The Elián González Story podcast

Chess Piece: The Elián González Story

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. ________________ Want to support our independent journalism? Join Futuro + for exclusive episodes, sneak peaks and behind-the-scenes chisme on all our latest podcasts. www.futuromediagroup.org/joinplus.

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. ________________ Want to support our independent journalism? Join Futuro + for exclusive episodes, sneak peaks and behind-the-scenes chisme on all our latest podcasts. www.futuromediagroup.org/joinplus.

 

#11

Through Each Other’s Eyes

In the final episode this season, Peniley reflects on the throughline of the Elián story: ... more

27 Nov 2024

23 MINS

23:44

27 Nov 2024


#10

"Crazy Cubans"

After taking you through the Elián González story, we’re sharing some reporting and interv... more

20 Nov 2024

22 MINS

22:37

20 Nov 2024


#9

Being Home

Peniley tells us the story of Elián after he returned to Cuba, where he studied engineerin... more

13 Nov 2024

30 MINS

30:30

13 Nov 2024


#8

The Punishment Vote

Elián and his dad went back to Cuba in June 2000, just four months before the US President... more

06 Nov 2024

35 MINS

35:52

06 Nov 2024


#7

The Reunion

In the aftermath of the raid, agents brought Elián to Washington D.C. where father and son... more

30 Oct 2024

31 MINS

31:04

30 Oct 2024


#6

The Raid

As negotiations failed, the U.S. government had been carefully planning for the possibilit... more

23 Oct 2024

32 MINS

32:24

23 Oct 2024


#5

La Sombra

Throughout the ordeal, Elián's father always insisted he wanted the boy to return to Cuba.... more

16 Oct 2024

38 MINS

38:43

16 Oct 2024


#4

La Yuma

While authorities decided how to proceed, Elián stayed in Little Havana with his Miami rel... more

09 Oct 2024

35 MINS

35:08

09 Oct 2024


#3

The Ultimatum

After Elián’s Thanksgiving rescue at sea, he was released to relatives in Miami. Just a da... more

02 Oct 2024

30 MINS

30:31

02 Oct 2024


#2

The Rescue

In 1999, two Florida fishermen found a cherub of a boy named Elián González in the sea on ... more

25 Sep 2024

31 MINS

31:41

25 Sep 2024


#1

Introducing: Chess Piece: The Elián González Story

On Thanksgiving 1999, five-year-old Elián González was rescued at sea near the Florida coa... more

18 Sep 2024

01 MINS

01:59

18 Sep 2024