Former US Ambassador to Bolivia, Manuel Rocha, has announced that he will plead guilty to charges related to his involvement in a decades-long espionage effort on behalf of communist Cuba. The 73-year-old diplomat has agreed to a deal with federal prosecutors that will see 13 criminal counts against him dropped in exchange for his admission of conspiring to act as an agent of a foreign government. The charges include wire fraud and making false statements.
Rocha made his plea before US District Court Judge Beth Bloom, stating his intention to admit to the federal counts. The two charges he will plead guilty to carry a maximum sentence of between five and 10 years in prison. However, the details of Rocha’s sentence have not been disclosed, as they were agreed upon between prosecutors and his attorney.
The former ambassador will formally enter his guilty plea and receive his sentence at a hearing scheduled for April 12. The case against Rocha was brought by the Justice Department in December, alleging that he had worked as a secret agent for Cuba’s top intelligence agency since 1981, the same year he began his career at the State Department.
Throughout his more than 20 years in public service, Rocha held high-ranking positions in several embassies and even served at the White House during the Clinton administration. The Department of Justice has asserted that these roles provided him with access to nonpublic and classified information, as well as the ability to influence US foreign policy. After leaving the State Department, Rocha served as an advisor to the US Southern Command, a Miami-based joint military command post.
To maintain his cover, Rocha presented himself as a staunch opponent of the Cuban regime, despite secretly working as a spy for the country. He was arrested following a series of meetings with undercover FBI agents posing as Cuban intelligence officials. During these meetings, Rocha admitted to spying for Cuba for “decades,” spanning approximately 40 years. He referred to the US as “the enemy” and praised former Cuban dictator Fidel Castro, according to the DOJ.
The US government has not disclosed the specific information Rocha provided to Cuba or how he may have influenced US policy towards the island. Attorney General Merrick Garland has described Rocha’s infiltration as one of the “longest-lasting” by a foreign agent in the US. The case has drawn criticism, with Miami attorney Carlos Trujillo, who served as US Ambassador to the Organization of American States during the Trump administration, condemning Rocha’s plea deal as too lenient. Trujillo argues that any sentence that allows Rocha to see the light of day again would not be just, given his role as a spy for a foreign adversary and the potential risks posed to American lives.
The upcoming hearing on April 12 will determine the final outcome for Manuel Rocha, shedding light on the consequences he will face for his espionage activities. As the details of his sentence remain undisclosed, observers await the verdict with anticipation, hoping for justice to be served in this high-profile case.
