NewsMax.com. Monday, June 19, 2000
Yesterday Elian, his father and their Cuban entourage attended a Father's Day outing at the home of a man identified in the press as a "Cuban diplomat." The man, Pedro Sierra, resides at 12719 Connecticut Avenue in Silver Spring, Md. A NewsMax.com reader lives next door and took photos
and offered commentary. We are publishing this information for the benefit of our readers (please click on the links to see the pictures indicated):
From the Neighbor:
"These photos were taken in a hurry and through the window of one the bedrooms of my sister's house. I just wanted to post them as soon as possible. Please, forgive the quality of some of the photos, but there wasn't much time to prepare for this.
"In one photo, Elian can be seen through the bushes holding a box. While most of thekids played in the backyard of the house,
Elian was not allowed to be in the backyard for anymore than a few minutes at a time.
"Even though he tried to get out several times, he was prevented from so doing.
"In another photo it can be appreciated to the left of the Central AC unit, what appears to be a Gargoyle like figurine. It is a Santeria Deity, plain and simple. It used to be located by the main entrance of
the house on the steps leading to the front door. Some have said that it is an effigy representing Eleggua, the opener of the roads in the Santeria pantheon of deities.
"I am thouroghly convinced that Divine Providence is at work here. For Elian to wind up next door to a Cuban family while visiting a Cuban Santero's house can't be considered a coincidence. A Higher Power is at Work here.
"On the other hand, if Elian was spending Father's Day at the 'official residence of a Cuban diplomat' as stated by CBS Affiliate Channel 9 here in the D.C. area last night in their 11:00 p.m. news program, then the U.S. Marshalls Service was in direct violation of the orders issued by the
11th District Court of Appeals in Atlanta, which 'forbids Elian to be taken to any and all diplomatic facilities while the appeals are in progress.' Either way, someone will have a lot of explaining to do regarding this 'outing'.
"Here is the balance of the photos taken from a bedroom window of my sister's house. Some include the
Cuban Diplomatic Hierarchy,
Santeria practitioners and Elian,
Juan Miguel (with video camera),
His wife and Elian's baby half-brother.
"Also notice the Cuban 'diplomats' in control of everything. During the brief moments Elian was allowed to be outside the house, he was constantly followed by one or two 'operatives' (lady with sidearm). He
was never let more than two steps away from his 'watchers'.
"The house where this affair took place is a private residence owned by a Santeria Babalao, not a diplomat. Notice in this photo, he is kneeling while holding something in his hands.
"The area directly in front of him is the area where the Bata drummer(s) and musicians were located and chanting Santeria Yoruban Music also known in Cuba as 'Toque de Santo'. What was Elian doing in there? Whatever happened to the happy, carefree smiling kid we became so used to and
enjoyed watching him while he was playing outside the Miami relatives' house? Why is Elian so sad looking? Is this sadness the reason they are keeping this kid away from the public?
"One thing I will have to say about Juan Miguel, the man likes to drink like a fish and smoke like a chimney. American beer and cigarrettes must be pretty good tasting for him to indulge the way he did while I
was able to watch him."
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