By Pascal Fletcher
HAVANA, Jan 30 (Reuters) - Cheered by flag-waving Cubans, the grandmothers of Elian Gonzalez returned to Cuba on Sunday to a celebrity welcome after a U.S. trip that stirred public opinion but failed to bring their grandson home.
Thousands of Cuban citizens turned out in obedience to a government call to give a ``warm and massive'' reception to the grandmothers, Mariela Quintana and Raquel Rodriguez.
Bursting into tears at the end of the official welcome, Elian's maternal grandmother Rodriguez expressed sorrow that they had not returned with their grandson.
``We have to keep fighting. We promised Elian we would bring him back to Cuba,'' she said.
The women spent nine days in the United States lobbying for the return of 6-year-old Elian, who is at the centre of a highly politicized custody tug-of-war between his father in communist-ruled Cuba and exiled relatives in Miami.
Welcomed like visiting heads of state or celebrities, the two women rode from Havana airport in an open-topped government black Mercedes along with Elian's father, Juan Miguel Gonzalez.
CHEERING, CHANTING CROWDS
They waved to cheering, chanting crowds which lined the route winding through the city's Revolution Square and alongside the seafront U.S. Interests Section, the scene of almost daily pro-Elian rallies and demonstrations over the last two months.
The two women were composed at first but Rodriguez, Elian's maternal grandmother, broke down in tears later at a special music show put on for them by nearly 2,000 schoolchildren.
``It's very sad that you children are here and that Elian can't be because we didn't bring him,'' Rodriguez sobbed.
She and Quintana, Elian's paternal grandmother, had been in New York, Washington and Miami since Jan. 21 trying to gather public and political support there for returning the boy to Cuba.
The relatives of Elian in Miami, with whom he has been living since being rescued off the coast of Florida on Nov. 25, want to keep him in the United States where they say he would have a better life than in communist-ruled Cuba.
Elian was rescued at sea after a boat carrying illegal Cuban migrants capsized, drowning his mother and 10 others fleeing Cuba. In Miami's Cuban exile community, protests have been made in court and on the street to keep the child in the United States.
CASTRO AT PARTY
The grandmothers' welcome in Havana reflected the importance attached to Elian's case by Cuban President Fidel Castro, who has transformed the custody battle into a patriotic crusade aimed at rekindling support for Cuba's one-part socialist Revolution.
Castro stayed away from the airport arrival, which involved family members only, but he appeared later with other senior members of the government at the children's show held at a convention centre following the drive through Havana.
Wearing elegant city suits and square lapel pins carrying a portrait of their grandson, the grandmothers were given flowers and gifts by the children.
They, Elian's father and other family members, thanked the Cuban people and government for their support.
``It was very emotional for us,'' Juan Miguel Gonzalez said.
``I am eternally grateful to all the people of Cuba,'' Quintana said. She added the U.S. trip had revealed to her that the U.S. people, including several senators and legislators, backed Elian's return to Cuba.
``We have to keep up the fight. I believe it won't be long before he's back,'' she said tearfully and the audience of children responded with chants of ``Free Elian! Free Elian!.''
During their stay in the United States, Elian's grandmothers met with Attorney General Janet Reno and members of Congress in their bid to bring their grandson home. They also met briefly in Miami with their grandson.
COURT DATE AHEAD
Despite the lobbying efforts by the two grandmothers, Elian's future remains uncertain. The Miami relatives who have temporary custody of the child have waged a counter-lobbying campaign.
The U.S. Immigration and Naturalisation Service ruled earlier this month that the child should return to Cuba, but the boy's Miami relatives filed a lawsuit in federal court for Elian to be granted an asylum hearing. A hearing on the suit was set for Feb. 22.
Congressional Republican leaders last week said they were considering swiftly voting on a bill to grant Elian U.S. citizenship. But by week's end, no action had been taken and opinion was divided on how to proceed, even within the majority Republican Party.
19:45 01-30-00
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