Victor Manuel Rocha, a former US ambassador to Bolivia, has been handed a 15-year prison sentence for engaging in espionage activities in support of Cuba, as per a report by Reuters.
Rocha stands accused of furthering the agenda of the Cuban government during his tenure.
The 73-year-old diplomat, who served from 2000 to 2002, admitted to two charges, acknowledging that he operated as an unauthorized foreign agent. Rocha struck a plea deal with federal prosecutors, agreeing to divulge information about his dealings with Cuban intelligence. However, US authorities suspect that the full extent of Rocha’s collaboration with Havana may never come to light.
Court records reveal that Rocha actively sought roles that would grant him access to classified data and the ability to shape US foreign policy. He held positions at the State Department from 1981 to 2002, including a stint at the White House National Security Council from 1994 to 1995.
Prosecutors allege that the ex-ambassador clandestinely supported Cuba’s Communist Party and assisted in gathering intelligence against the US for more than forty years. The Department of Justice described this as a significant and long-standing infiltration of the US government.
In a series of meetings between 2022 and 2023 with an undercover FBI agent posing as a Cuban intelligence representative, Rocha bragged about his skill in evading detection.
Original article from theins.ru