Elian's classmates visit an exhibition in his honor near their school in Cardenas

The family are in Washington awaiting the outcome of legal proceedings.

Although the Atlanta court ruled in favour of Elian's father, the Cuban Government is denouncing the fact that the family are still barred from returning to the island.

The government statement said the delay was not only an act of vengeance by what it called the Miami Mafia, but also part of a ridiculous plan by the highest US authorities to try to bribe Elian's father to stay in the United States.

Protests planned

The court ruling will allow Fidel Castro to continue to use the case as a nationlist rallying cry on the island and to campaign in the United States for changes in US policy.

Together the Cuban and US peoples will be victorious, the government statement ended.

New rallies and marches have been called with warnings that the island's scarce public transort will be severely disrupted in coming days.

The government says a protest march called for Friday will see half a million women marching past the US Interests section in Havana.