Letter from Elián González
April 19, 2005
Dear General Reno and other heros of freedom:
Thank you for returning me to Cuba. Living in a communist dictatorship is really cool. As you can see in this photo, I am very happy here. Some might think that living in a dictatorship is unpleasant. Those people would be wrong.
In America, you have too many choices. For example, in the picture where I'm sitting next to Fidel Castro, no one asked me if I wanted to sit next to him. And I also did not have any choice to turn down this newspaper interview. In America you get to criticize your leaders and decide whether you like them. But that just leads you to an existential crisis.
I do realize my mom died trying to bring me to America. But my dad and uncle Fidel have shown me that she was misguided.
So thanks again for returning me to Cuba. I'm sure I'll have a nice life doing whatever the government tells me to do.
Signed,
Prisoner González