HAVANA (AP) -- Cuba called on citizens to flood the streets of the island's
                  cities again Friday to demand the return of a 6-year-old boy from the United
                  States, extending the biggest wave of pro-government protests in nearly two
                  decades.

                  The United States, meanwhile, waited to see if the boy's father would meet
                  with U.S. immigration officials.

                  Thrusting fists and chanting political slogans, hundreds of thousands of
                  Cubans flooded Havana's coastal highway Thursday to press for the return
                  of Elian Gonzalez, who was rescued off the Florida coast two weeks ago.

                  The communist government, which organized the march and transported
                  most protesters to the site, estimated turnout to be at least 300,000. Officials
                  used buses to bring marchers in from 100 miles (161 kilometers) away.

                  A similar march was planned for this afternoon, once again winding by the
                  U.S. Interests Section -- the American diplomatic mission here. Huge
                  protests were also planned in cities across the country.

                  "We want Elian! We want Elian!" has become the familiar chant on the
                  streets of Havana as Fidel Castro's government revved up its propaganda
                  campaign.

                  This week's marches have grown each day and are the largest -- save for
                  annual May Day celebrations -- on the island since 1980.

                  That year, Castro called for similar demonstrations during a political crisis
                  that began when several thousand Cubans stormed the Peruvian Embassy
                  seeking political asylum.

                  An estimated 1 million people marched past the Peruvian Embassy on April
                  19, 1980 to show support for Castro's communist government.

                  Although demonstrators have been obligated to participate, most Cubans
                  feel sympathy for the shy kindergartner. His mother died in the apparent
                  attempt to emigrate illegally to the United States.

                  The child was placed with his paternal great-aunt and great-uncle in Miami,
                  but his father, Juan Miguel Gonzalez, has demanded his return to Cuba.

                  The case grew complicated on Wednesday when Castro said that Gonzalez
                  was not willing to go to the United States or meet with U.S. officials in his
                  quest to be reunited with his son.

                  The father would not meet with American functionaries until they could tell
                  him when and how his son would be returned to him, Castro said.

                  The U.S. government proposed Wednesday that Gonzalez meet with
                  American immigration officials in Havana to determine that he is the boy's
                  father and has assumed his parental responsibilities.

                  The chief of the U.S. mission in Cuba said Thursday she was awaiting word
                  from Cuban officials.

                  "They said they would not have an answer for us until this evening," said
                  Vicki Huddleston, head of the U.S. Interests Section. By the late afternoon,
                  no decision had been made, but Cuban authorities had asked some
                  questions, a move American authorities viewed as positive.

                  The custody dispute cast a shadow over U.S.-Cuban migration talks
                  scheduled Monday in Havana, but both American and Cuban officials said
                  the meeting is expected to continue as planned.

                  The dispute comes amid Cuba's growing anger over what it says is the U.S.
                  government's failure to abide by 1994 and 1995 migration accords signed to
                  stop a flood of people leaving the island on rickety rafts and inner tubes.

                  Under the agreements, U.S. officials are to repatriate Cubans rescued at sea
                  and Cuban officials are to prevent people from leaving the communist island
                  illegally.