A former National Security Council member and U.S. ambassador to Bolivia, Victor Manuel Rocha, was sentenced to 15 years in prison for secretly acting as an agent for the government of the Republic of Cuba. The 73-year-old Miami resident admitted to working against the U.S. government for decades in clandestine intelligence-gathering missions.
Rocha, who graduated from prestigious universities such as Yale, Harvard, and Georgetown, served in the State Department from 1981 to 2002. He used his position to obtain classified information and influence U.S. foreign policy in favor of Cuba.
After leaving the State Department, Rocha continued his involvement with Cuban intelligence operatives, providing false information and obtaining travel documents through deceitful means. Despite his successful transition to the private sector as a top international executive in the mining industry, Rocha acknowledged the damage caused by his earlier espionage activities.
In a statement, Rocha attributed his actions to radical influences during his college years and expressed remorse for betraying his oath of loyalty to the United States. He accepted full responsibility for his crimes and pledged to cooperate with authorities in assessing the damage caused by his espionage for Cuba.
As part of his plea agreement, Rocha must forfeit all retirement benefits and profits from any publications related to his criminal conduct or government service. He also faces a $500,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and a special assessment in addition to his prison sentence.
Rep. Carlos Gimenez of Florida condemned Rocha as a traitor to the nation and called for the maximum penalty to be imposed. The judge accepted Rocha's guilty plea to charges of conspiring to act as a foreign agent and defrauding the U.S., emphasizing the seriousness of his offenses.
