(DCWatchdog.com) – In a bombshell reminder revealing how foreign enemies infiltrate the United States government, a former top-ranking US diplomat has been nabbed by the FBI for serving as a spy for Communist Cuba, possibly for decades.
Manuel Rocha, a former US ambassador to Bolivia with a diplomatic career spanning over 25 years, has been detained as part of an extensive FBI counterintelligence operation.
He is accused of clandestinely acting as an agent for the Cuban government, The Associated Press, as cited by The New York Post.
Rocha, 73, was apprehended in Miami last Friday. More specifics about his case are expected to be disclosed this week.
One source revealed that the Justice Department’s case alleges Rocha was engaged in furthering the interests of the Cuban government.
US federal law mandates that individuals representing foreign governments or entities within the United States must register with the Justice Department. This law has seen increased enforcement against illegal foreign lobbying in recent years.
The Justice Department has refrained from commenting on the matter. It remains unclear if Rocha has legal representation. A law firm where he previously worked stated that it is not currently representing him.
Efforts to reach Rocha’s wife were unsuccessful, as she ended the call when contacted by the AP.
Rocha’s diplomatic tenure included service under both Democrat and Republican administrations.
He spent much of his career in Latin America during the Cold War era.
He had a posting at the US Interests Section in Cuba when the US did not have full diplomatic relations with Fidel Castro’s Communist regime.
Born in Colombia and raised in a working-class neighborhood in New York City, Rocha obtained degrees from Yale, Harvard, and Georgetown before entering the foreign service in 1981.
He served as the principal US diplomat in Argentina from 1997 to 2000, during the unraveling of a currency stabilization program supported by Washington, leading to a major political crisis in Argentina.
In Bolivia, as ambassador, Rocha controversially intervened in the 2002 presidential election, boosting support for Socialist Evo Morales, who later, upon his election, expelled Rocha’s successor, accusing him of inciting conflict.
Rocha’s diplomatic career also included postings in Italy, Honduras, Mexico, and the Dominican Republic and a role as a Latin America expert for the National Security Council.
Post-retirement, Rocha embarked on a business career, including a position as president of a Dominican Republic gold mine.
