KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: The grandmothers of Elian Gonzalez are scheduled to return to Cuba today, but not with their grandson as they had hoped. It's been a long and difficult odyssey for the two women since they arrived in the U.S. about 10 days ago. CNN's Martin Savidge is in Havana with more on the grandmothers' anticipated homecoming.</s>MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): As they have almost daily since Elian Gonzalez floated into a sea of controversy, Cubans rallied for the 6-year-old's return. More than 100,000 people gathered in the central Cuban town of Sinfuegos (ph), the demonstration following on the heels of Cuban President Fidel Castro proclaiming such protests would continue for 10 years if need be.</s>FIDEL CASTRO, PRESIDENT OF CUBA (through translator): And this is not a battle waged for a boy, but rather it is a battle waged for the rights of all the children in the world, that they cannot be kidnapped and become hostages.</s>SAVIDGE: Like others before it, the government-organized and televised rally used the case of Elian Gonzalez as a rallying point for Cuban communist patriotism mixed with increasingly bitter attacks on President Castro's enemies. The voices are often children.</s>RICARDO ALARCON, PRESIDENT, CUBAN NATIONAL ASSEMBLY: I think that they succeeded in getting across their message to the American people.</s>SAVIDGE: From the very beginning, the grandmothers have said their sole purpose of going to the United States was to retrieve young Elian and bring him back here to Cuba. In that regard, their mission is a failure. And as one Cuban put it, "No matter how big their rallies may be, they cannot fill the emptiness in their hearts." Reporting live, Martin Savidge, CNN, Havana.
Grandparents of Elian Gonzalez to Return to Cuba Today