Children's show gets political

 HAVANA -- (AP) -- President Fidel Castro greeted 7-year-old Elián González with a kiss Tuesday in a rare public appearance of the boy made famous by Cuba.

 Looking animated and cheerful, Castro briefly talked with Elián and his family after a colorful and politically tinged children's performance. He even picked up Elián's
 2-year-old half-brother, Hianny.

 Elián smiled as he walked into the Havana amphitheater with his father, Juan Miguel González, his stepmother, Nersy, and his brother.

 Sitting in the front row, they watched a series of children in colorful costumes sing, dance and perform skits on a stage built outside the U.S. Interests Section -- the
 American mission here -- during González's battle for his son's return from the United States.

 ``Socialist children,'' thousands of boys and girls in school uniforms sang at the closing ceremony at a meeting of the Pioneers, the island's communist group for
 schoolchildren. ``Steadfast! Steadfast!''

 Castro, who embraced González's fight for his son last year and made it a national cause that captured the world's attention, sat in the same row. He wore his traditional
 olive green uniform.

 After chatting with the González family, Castro spent a few more minutes greeting other children with kisses and pats on the head. Neither Castro's nor Elián's attendance
 was announced in advance.

 The Cuban leader on Tuesday morning looked fit and better rested after his fainting spell at a speech in the blazing sun two weeks before. The incident set off rumors
 about Castro's health and talk of his future successor.

 The Cuban leader on Monday night delivered a 2 1/2 hour speech to the children, followed by a six-hour dinner with visiting German Minister of Economy Werner Müller
 that wrapped up about 3 a.m. Tuesday.
 
 
 

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