Elian in the hospital?

Countering reports that Elian Gonzalez lies injured in a Cuban hospital
with a broken jaw, a U.S. mayor said yesterday that he met with Elian
Gonzalez last week and that the boy is "OK."

Reports have circulated widely, particularly on the Internet, about a
Miami-based doctor who claimed that Elian was recently beaten by his
father and is in the hospital.

Indeed, David Hoech, a retired doctor living in Miami with extensive
connections inside the Cuban and diplomatic community, said: "We heard
news that Elian was being treated for a broken jaw in a Cuban hospital.
The next day, we established communication with humanitarian service
entities and were told that he was in a Children's Hospital in
Cienfuegos."

But the dire reports about Elian brought a rebuttal from Oakland,
Calif., Mayor Jerry Brown. On ABC's "Good Morning America" yesterday
morning, the former California governor said he met Elian last week,
during a visit to the communist country aimed at enhancing relations
between his California city and the eastern Cuban city of Santiago.
Saying Elian is "OK" and not injured, Brown also discussed his views for
improved trade relations with Castro and Cuba.

TRENDING: WATCH: Students support voting bill, then blow a gasket when they learn it's actually Georgia's law

"The battle over trade with China has ended," said Brown in a recent
interview published by the Associated Press, noting the recent
congressional vote to grant "permanent normal trade relations" status to
the Asian communist nation. "There is not a fig leaf to cover the lack
of logic of the Cuba trade embargo," added Brown.

Yet, Cuban government sources would not comment on Brown, trade issues
or Elian. Attempts to confirm or deny the allegations with the official
Cuban diplomatic U.N. mission in New York were unsuccessful, as the
Cuban representatives refused to answer questions.

Sources inside the American intelligence community are also dubious
about stories of Elian's injuries. One Pentagon source noted that
Castro would "love" to discredit U.S. media such as WorldNetDaily with a
disinformation story on Elian. On the other hand, the source did confirm
that U.S. military monitoring of Cuban propaganda ministry outlets noted
there was no news on Elian for a number of days.

In Miami, Dr. Hoech stands ready with a Lear jet and X-ray machine in
hopes the U.S. and Cuban governments will give in to his request. Hoech
noted that the recent absence of Elian in Cuban propaganda only serves
to support his suspicion that the boy has been injured.

"Why not show him now, Comrade Fidel?" asked Hoeck.

"If the child is OK, then it is in the best interests of Cuba to show
him," concluded Hoeck. "The father had a history of beating Elian.
Elian had to have an eye operation after a beating from his father. The
violence was one reason why Elian's mom left Cuba."

"I have sent a letter to Janet Reno and no comment," added Hoech. "I am
asking to get permission for three doctors to fly to Cuba and examine
Elian Gonzalez at no expense to our government or the Cuban government.
If this report is not true, then Castro would have trotted little Elian
out in front of the TV cameras to prove to the whole world that the boy
is all right."

Related stories:

'They never knocked'

RELATED: Elian 'smoking gun' memo known for 2 years

'Keep Elian Free' nationwide protests

Related commentary:

Elian nation