Former US ambassador Victor Manuel Rocha has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for secretly acting as an agent of the government of Cuba. The 73-year-old, who served on the National Security Council and as US ambassador to Bolivia, admitted to the betrayal that spanned over four decades.
Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen described Rocha’s actions as a “staggering betrayal” of the American people, noting that he held positions of trust in the US government while working for the Cuban government. US Attorney Markenzy Lapointe emphasized the seriousness of Rocha’s misconduct, stating that his covert mission for Cuba was a breach of trust that will not be tolerated.
Rocha’s guilty plea to charges of conspiring to act as an agent of a foreign government and conspiring to defraud the United States led to his maximum sentence of 15 years in prison, along with a fine and supervised release. The Department of Justice highlighted the significant restrictions imposed on Rocha as a result of his actions.
Rocha’s admission that he supported Cuba’s intelligence-gathering mission against the United States since 1973 underscores the gravity of his betrayal. The DOJ’s message is clear: those who act unlawfully for a foreign government will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Rocha’s case serves as a warning to others who may consider similar actions in the future.