Comments from South Florida and elsewhere in the United States on Miami-Dade
 Mayor Alex Penelas' and Miami Mayor Joe Carollo's pledges not to use their
 police departments to help the federal government repatriate Elian Gonzalez to
 Cuba:

 T.R. Snyder, Coconut Grove:
 ``The crash that echoed throughout South Florida Wednesday afternoon may well
 have been Mayor Alex Penelas' national political aspirations nose-diving into
 streets of Little Havana. When the chief executive officer of Florida's largest
 municipality brazenly declares that he will not aid the federal government in its
 efforts to repatriate Elian Gonzalez, Mayor Penelas signaled that he will follow the
 law only when the same serves his short term political ends.''

 Pedro Fernandez, of Elian Gonzalez's Little Havana neighborhood:
 ``I think that what the mayors were saying is the proper way of dealing with the
 situation because it is unjust to take the child away without American justice
 acting first. And this is why I believe it is the proper response not to allow the
 local police to act.''

 Carol U. Ozemhoya, of Atlanta, managing editor of Black Radio Exclusive:
 ``It's wrong. It angers me to see them disrespect our government and its policies.
 The political wannabes involved are using that child to promote their own agendas.
 I think he belongs with his father.''

 Ramon Saul Sanchez, leader of the Cuban exile Democracy Movement:
 ``I believe both mayors did the right thing and were courageous. They chose not
 to order the police to do something unconstitutional, to violate the boy's civil rights
 during the appeal.''

 Rusudana Jason, Fort Lauderdale:
 ``It's time to bring on the cavalry! If ever we need the National Guard and the
 military, it's now, or to be more exact, the day the court sends Elian back to
 Cuba -- where he belongs.''

 Bertha Obregon, Little Havana:
 ``Formidable. Not just because it is correct for the police not to take Elian away,
 but also because that way our local police departments do not take sides with
 Reno and Clinton, who are committing an injustice.''

 Jerry Gereaux, Stone Mountain, Ga:
 ``How can it be that the mayors of the two most populous local political
 jurisdictions in Miami-Dade County can thumb their noses at the United States
 government with impunity? Ditto Gov. [Jeb] Bush. Local and state police will not
 assist INS in doing its job? Please! This is America! . . . Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.''

 Mirta Valdes, a demonstrator at Elian's Little Havana house:
 ``I think it's a very educated and sophisticated way of dealing with the situation
 because his [Penelas'] position favors the sentiments of the Cuban community in
 Miami, and shows that at least we have some support among local authorities, if
 not the ones in the U.S. capital.'

 Compiled by Herald staff writers Ana Acle, Alfonso Chardy and Anabelle de Gale

                     Copyright 2000 Miami Herald