Iruan Ergui Wu
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Iruan Ergui Wu (born July 12, 1995) is a Brazilian-Taiwanese boy whose custody battle caused an international scandal reminiscent of that of Elián González from Cuba. He is also credited as Wu Yi-hua(吳憶樺), his Chinese name, mainly by Taiwanese media.
Iruan's father Wu Teng-shu(吳登樹) was a Taiwanese fisherman from Jiading Township, Kaohsiung County. In 1994 his fisherboat brought him to Brazil. He met and fell in love with Brazilian woman Marisa Tavares Ergui who later gave birth to Iruan out of wedlock. After Iruan was born, Wu Teng-shu left Brazil to continue his fishing career, and Iruan stayed in Brazil with his mother.
In 1998 Marisa Tavares Ergui died of leukemia and Marisa's mother, Rosa Leocadia da Silva Ergui, took up the responsibility to raise Iruan. In 2000 Wu Teng-shu traveled to Brazil and legally granted Iruan's custodial rights to Rosa Ergui. In March 2001 Wu Teng-shu traveled to Brazil again and brought Iruan back to Taiwan for a short visit, but he suddenly died of heart attack only one week after they touched down on Taiwan soil. After Wu Teng-shu's death, his younger brother Wu Huo-Yan(吳火眼) claimed he had Iruan's custodial rights and refused to let Iruan return to Brazil, despite the fact that Iruan was holding a Brazilian passport.
In July 2001, Rosa Ergui came to Taiwan trying to negotiate with Wu Huo-Yan and bring Iruan back to Brazil, but Wu refused determinedly. Disappointed, Rosa Ergui sued Wu Huo-Yan for Iruan's custodial rights. This event was widely reported by Taiwanese and Brazilian media and caused immediate sensation; Brazilian football superstar Ronaldinho gave Iruan a Brazil team jersey with all team members' signatures during the 2002 FIFA World Cup. Meantime, Wu Huo-Yan reinstated Iruan's Republic of China nationality and had him enrolled in local elementary school.
In November 2003 Taiwan's Supreme Court verdicted Iruan's custodial rights to Rosa Ergui. However Wu Huo-Yan refused to give him up. Under Supreme Court's authorization, Kaohsiung Municipal Court ruled a final deadline of February 9, 2004 for Wu Huo-Yan to send Iruan out, but this deadline was not met. Taiwanese authorities finally besieged Wu Huo-Yan's place to force Wu to hand up Iruan, during which process Iruan was pulled and pushed with violence and such action enraged Brazil government. Iruan was then protected by Brazilian Consulate in Taiwan and returned to Brazil on February 13 after a 35-hour-long flight. He was high-profile welcomed in the Guarulhos International Airport.
Iruan currently lives and studies in Porto Alegre with Rosa Ergui and her family. Rosa Ergui told media that she will not let Iruan return to Taiwan until Iruan becomes an adult.
