US Ambassador pleads Guilty as Cuban Spy!
Miami, US, Feb 29 (EFE).-
Víctor Rocha, a former US ambassador arrested for allegedly spying for the Cuban government, in what prosecutors called one of the highest-level infiltrations, announced Thursday in a Miami court that he will plead guilty.
After pleading not guilty on Feb. 14, Rocha, 73, said Thursday that he will admit his guilt to federal charges of conspiracy to act as an agent of a foreign government.
Rocha’s change of plea and sentencing hearing was set for April 12, according to court documents obtained by EFE.
The Colombian-born former diplomat, who served as US ambassador to Bolivia, is charged with wire fraud, violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act by acting as a foreign agent, and making false statements to obtain a US passport.
Asked by US District Judge Beth Bloom at Thursday’s court hearing if he wanted to change his earlier plea of not guilty, Rocha said, “Your honour, I am in agreement.”
Rocha was arrested Dec. 1 in Miami after confessing his activities to an FBI agent posing as another Cuban spy.
“This action exposes one of the highest-reaching and longest-lasting infiltrations of the United States government by a foreign agent,” US Attorney General Merrick B. Garland said at the time.
Between 1981 and 2002, Rocha served in the US Department of State, holding various positions at the US Embassies in the Dominican Republic, Honduras, Mexico and Argentina, including Director for Inter-American Affairs at the National Security Council with special responsibility for Cuba from 1994 to 1995, Deputy Chief of Mission at the US Interests Section in Havana from 1995 to 1997, and Ambassador to Bolivia from 1999 to 2002.
After leaving the State Department, Rocha served as an advisor to the commander of the US military’s Southern Command from about 2006 to about 2012.
During and after his career, Rocha portrayed himself as a hard-line Republican and anti-communist, most recently as a vocal supporter of former President Donald Trump.
According to the indictment, an FBI special agent posing as “Miguel,” a representative of Cuba’s General Intelligence Directorate, met with Rocha three times between 2022 and 2023.
In these meetings, which were recorded and conducted in Spanish, the ex-diplomat constantly referred to the United States as “the enemy” and confessed that his main concern when he worked for the State Department was to “strengthen the Cuban Revolution.” EFE
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