Victor Manuel Rocha, a former U.S. Ambassador to Bolivia and a National Security Council member, pleaded guilty to acting as a secret agent for the Republic of Cuba for decades. The Department of Justice announced that Rocha was sentenced to 15 years in prison for his involvement in “clandestine intelligence-gathering missions” for communist Cuba. This case marked the end of a more than four-decade betrayal and deceit by Rocha, who admitted to working for the Cuban government while holding positions of trust in the U.S. government.
Rocha, who served on the National Security Council and as the U.S. Ambassador to Bolivia, was accused of secretly acting as an agent for a hostile foreign power. U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida highlighted the significance of this case, calling it one of the highest-reaching and longest-lasting infiltrations of the U.S. government by a foreign agent. Rocha pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges and was sentenced to the statutory maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, along with a $500,000 fine and three years of supervised release.
Under the terms of Rocha’s plea agreement, he must cooperate with the U.S. government in conducting any damage assessment related to his work for Cuba. He is also required to surrender any future retirement benefits owed to him by the U.S. and must relinquish any profits he may receive from any publication related to his criminal conduct or government service. The FBI’s National Security Branch emphasized the significance of prosecuting individuals who work against the interests of the United States, sending a clear message to adversaries that such actions will not be tolerated.
Rocha allegedly used his position in the State Department to access classified information and impact U.S. foreign policy during his employment from 1981 to 2002. He later served as an advisor to the Commander of the U.S. Southern Command, overseeing Cuba. Rocha is accused of providing false and misleading information to the U.S. and meeting with Cuban intelligence operatives outside the country. Praising Fidel Castro and referring to the U.S. as the “enemy,” Rocha boasted about his covert service as a Cuban mole within U.S. foreign policy circles, emphasizing the impact of his efforts on strengthening the Cuban revolution.
The former U.S. Ambassador’s arrest and subsequent guilty plea shed light on a significant breach of trust and national security implications. Rocha’s admissions to an undercover FBI agent revealed his meticulous and disciplined infiltration of the U.S. government, highlighting the extent to which he served as a Cuban agent for over four decades. This case underscores the importance of vigilance in identifying and prosecuting individuals who pose a threat to the interests of the United States. Rocha’s sentencing and the details of his espionage activities serve as a warning to adversaries that the FBI will work tirelessly to prevent and prosecute foreign intelligence operations on American soil.
