The Gentleman Report
—
The previous US ambassador to Bolivia has been charged in federal courtroom with appearing as a secret international agent of Cuba, in keeping with courtroom paperwork unsealed Monday.
Manuel Rocha, the 73-year-old former American diplomat, “secretly supported the Republic of Cuba and its clandestine intelligence-gathering challenge in opposition to the USA by means of serving as a covert agent of Cuba’s intelligence products and services,” prosecutors wrote.
Rocha served as america ambassador to Bolivia from 2000 to 2002 and because the deputy foremost officer of america Pursuits Phase in Cuba within the Nineties. Rocha additionally labored for america Embassy within the Dominican Republic within the Nineteen Eighties in addition to america Consulate in Italy, and served in several roles for US embassies in Mexico and Argentina.
In different conferences with an undercover FBI worker posing as a member of Cuban intelligence, Rocha many times referred to america as “the enemy” and praised Cuban progressive and flesh presser Fidel Castro, in keeping with courtroom paperwork.
Rocha described being “in price” of what he known as the “knock down of the small planes” – which prosecutors consider to be an incident throughout Rocha’s tenure running for the State Division in Havana when Cuba shot down two unarmed airplanes operated by means of individuals of Brothers to the Rescue, a US-based team adverse to Castro’s govt, killing 4 males.
Within the indictment, prosecutors say the Cuban govt has labored for years to recruit individuals inside of the USA to lend a hand with intelligence amassing, together with folks inside of america govt.
As an worker of the State Division, Rocha had “distinctive” get admission to to private govt knowledge, prosecutors mentioned.
Legal professional Normal Merrick Garland mentioned Monday that the case in opposition to Rocha “exposes one of the vital highest-reaching and longest-lasting infiltrations of the USA govt by means of a international agent.”
Rocha is going through 3 federal fees, together with appearing as an unlawful agent of a international govt. Rocha was once arrested and had an preliminary courtroom look Monday in Miami, the place federal prosecutors requested a pass judgement on to stay him detained till trial.
Rocha was once represented by means of Miami legal professional Jacqueline Arango with the Akerman regulation company, the place she’s the co-chair of white-collar crimes and govt investigations.
US Leader Justice of the Peace Pass judgement on Edwin Torres set a pretrial detention listening to for 1 p.m. Wednesday, and Rocha will stay in custody till that point.
Assistant US Legal professional Jonathan Stratton mentioned the federal government plans to deliver further fees with a grand jury, announcing the ones will hit the docket Tuesday.
Torres additionally set a initial listening to and arraignment for December 18.
An undercover FBI worker posing as a Cuban intelligence agent messaged Rocha on WhatsApp in November 2022 quickly after investigators had been tipped off to Rocha’s alleged covert paintings, courtroom paperwork say. Within the message, prosecutors say, the undercover worker mentioned that they “have a message for you from your mates in Havana. It’s with regard to a delicate topic.”
Rocha allegedly spoke back: “I don’t perceive however you’ll be able to name me.” The previous ambassador agreed to satisfy the undercover worker in Miami to speak.
All over the assembly, Rocha allegedly took a number of precautions to ensure that he wasn’t adopted, together with taking an extended path to their rendezvous, and asking the undercover worker to speak at a “meals courtroom” with most effective “low-level workers. … So, there is not any risk for – for someone to look me.”
All over their first assembly, Rocha allegedly informed the undercover worker that the Cuban intelligence company, known as the Dirección Normal de Inteligencia, “requested me … to guide a regular lifestyles,” and mentioned that he has “created the legend of a right-wing particular person.”
“I all the time informed myself, ‘The one factor that may put the whole thing we now have accomplished in peril is – is … somebody’s betrayal, somebody who could have met me, somebody who could have recognized one thing in the future,’” Rocha mentioned, in keeping with a recording of the assembly cited in courtroom paperwork.
He allegedly added: “My primary fear; my primary precedence was once … any motion at the a part of Washington that will – would endanger the lifetime of – of the management, or the – or the revolution itself.”
All over every other assembly a number of weeks later, Rocha allegedly described acquiring his State Division employment to the undercover worker, announcing, “I went bit by bit. … It was once an excessively meticulous procedure … very disciplined.”
“I knew precisely do it and clearly the Dirección accompanied me … they knew that I knew do it. … It’s a protracted procedure and it wasn’t simple,” he mentioned, in keeping with prosecutors.
Rocha additionally allegedly boasted about his “many years” of labor on behalf of the Cuban govt, announcing that it “reinforced the revolution” over “the closing 40 years,” and lamented “the blows that the enemy,” allegedly relating to america govt, “has dealt to the present revolution.”
Rocha labored at consulting company LLYC USA as a “senior global industry guide” on the time of his arrest, in keeping with courtroom paperwork. LLYC mentioned in a observation to The Gentleman Report Monday that Rocha is “now not related to LLYC, efficient instantly” and that it’s going to “collaborate absolutely with the government if required.”
This tale has been up to date with further main points.
The Gentleman Report’s Denise Royal and Katelyn Polantz contributed to this document.
