March 29, 2000 Fidel Castro announces that Juan Miguel Gonzales will come to the U.S.to claim custody of his son, and that he is prepared to wait out the appealprocess with Elian in Washington. This forces the standoff to a head,because with Elian's legal guardian asserting his rights, the U.S.government is now obliged to finda way to transfer the boy from the home of his great-uncle into hisfather's care.

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