There are growing indications that the Attorney General, Ms Janet Reno, is preparing to return Elian Gonzalez to his father, using force if necessary to remove him from the home of his Miami relatives.
Protesters outside the home in Little Havana have promised to form a "human chain" to prevent the boy being taken away. Yesterday, women carrying crosses recalling that it was Good Friday demonstrated behind the police lines near the house. The mood among the demonstrators was described as "edgy" and police had to appeal to those shouting "Liberty" to turn down the volume of their megaphones.
Yesterday a Justice Department spokeswoman, Ms Carole Florman, said that "if necessary the Attorney General is prepared to use law enforcement". But she added that "if and when there's a law enforcement action we are not going to be previewing it". She said that Ms Reno "is looking to our law enforcement officials to determine the best timing and methods" for a removal of Elian to join his father.
Ms Reno is being increasingly criticised for delaying the recovery of Elian from his Miami great-uncle, Mr Lazaro Gonzalez, who was given temporary custody after the boy was rescued from the sea off Florida last November. His mother and 10 others including his step-father drowned fleeing Cuba when their boat sank.
This tougher line by the Justice Department follows President Clinton's statement on Thursday that "There is now no conceivable argument for his [father, Juan Miguel] not being reunited with his son". The President was speaking after a federal appeals court had extended an order forbidding the return of Elian to Cuba while other legal action is proceeding but not ruling out his being reunited with his father who has been staying in the Washington area for the past two weeks.
Several newspapers yesterday quoted government officials as saying that they expected a law enforcement action to retrieve Elian fairly soon, probably next week. All factors are being taken into account including the weather forecast and Miami traffic.
According to the New York Times officials have said that law enforcement action was now all but certain and would be carried out by immigration agents and federal marshals who have been quietly arriving in Miami in recent days.
The local Cuban-American mayors have said that their police forces will not assist in any action by the federal forces to remove Elian. But the local police would have the task of trying to contain any disturbances by the large Cuban emigrant population following any removal.
As tension mounted yesterday, Ms Reno said that she was exploring every possibility to find a peaceful resolution to the issue. Her spokesperson said that "The doors are always going to be open to the family for a negotiated settlement". So far Mr Lazaro Gonzalez has refused to obey an order made 10 days ago ending his legal custody of Elian and telling him to arrange for his transfer to his father. Lawyers for the great-uncle said yesterday that they still hoped a meeting with Elian's father could be arranged and hinted that a mediator could be appointed.
But all the indications are that Ms Reno has run out of patience. Last week she flew to Miami to meet the relatives and Elian and invited them to fly back to Washington with her to meet the boy's father. But her offer was refused and she returned to Washington empty-handed.