BY MARIKA LYNCH

 As news spread outside the home of Lazaro Gonzalez that Elian's father was
 coming to the United States, the 150 protesters gathered outside agreed there
 could only be one ending to this four-month saga:

 Elian's father must come to Miami to work out the problem with his family.

 ``If he comes here alone, there will be no problem. We'll greet him with open
 arms,'' said Vivian Trigo, 41, of West Miami.

 ``Juan Miguel should come,'' said Bruno Pozzo, 15, a Central High student. ``But
 he should stay.''

 Democracy Movement leader Ramon Saul Sanchez asked the protesters to pray
 and also to call their friends and tell them to be on alert Friday. ``This is the most
 critical moment of this process,'' Sanchez said. ``We have to defend justice and
 liberty with our life.''

 After the initial excitement of the news, Lazaro's wife, Angela, arrived, carrying a
 bundle wrapped completely in a blanket. Family spokesman Armando Gutierrez
 said it was a sleeping Elian.

 The crowd later welcomed a visit from Lazaro Gonzalez. He assured them that
 Elian wasn't going anywhere.

 His only fear, he said, was that Juan Miguel Gonzalez, like Elian's grandmothers,
 would never make it to his home.

 ``We don't want to be left with food on the table, with flowers to give him, and to
 leave the boy all dressed up and his head hanging low because he didn't come to
 see him,'' Lazaro said. ``Now we're going to see who are the good and who are
 the bad.''

                     Copyright 2000 Miami Herald