Father of Cuban boy who escaped to Florida with his mother, testifies in Florida court.

(6 Sep 2007) HEADLINE: Cuban dad fights for custody of daughter CAPTION: A Florida court custody battle over a four-year-old girl from Cuba has a father fighting for his daughter after the girl's mother tried to commit suicide. (Sept. 6) [Notes:ANCHOR VOICE] It was the first time that Rafael Izquierdo got to testify publicly about his efforts to bring his nearly five year old daughter back to Cuba. The girl's mother won a lottery to come the US legally, but lost custody of the girl after trying to commit suicide. She wants the girl reunited with her father, but she dealt a bombshell when she accused him and his lawyers of fabricating testimony -- letters and photos purportedly designed to show that he was connected with the girl, even though he was working in Cuba as a farmer. On the stand, the father identified one of the disputed letters as his (sot:in court) Q: Did you write this letter A: This is mine, It's my handwriting (via interpreter) Earlier, he told the judge of his regular visits with the girl, saying a bond is growing (sot Rafael Izquierdo) "I'm doing well with my daughter, her sister is doing pretty well with her little sister, yanara, also want to say." But he is opposed by Florida's child welfare agency and by Joe Cubas, a wealthy sports agent who wants to adopt the girl -- arguing that since he is the current foster parent, it's less disruptive The trial could last for several more weeks. Judge Cohen first must decide whether the father is a fit parent -- and, if so, then must decide whether sending the girl to cuba is in her best interest Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...