US ex-ambassador sentenced for Cuban espionage

Former US diplomat Victor Manuel Rocha led a double life spanning decades. While working for the US government, he also served as a spy for Cuba.

Rocha was sentenced to 15 years in prison on Friday after pleading guilty to acting as an illegal foreign agent and will pay a $500,000  (€469,000) fine. He is also required as part of a deal with prosecutors to disclose details of his cooperation with Cuban intelligence.

The US Justice Department called it "one of the highest-reaching and longest-lasting infiltrations of the US government."

What Rocha did as a spy for Cuba

Victor Manuel Rocha, 73, was arrested six months ago at his Miami home on allegations he engaged in "clandestine activity" on Cuba's behalf since at least 1981.

Rocha secretly supported Cuba's ruling Communist Party and spied against Washington for more than four decades, not only serving as US ambassador to Bolivia from 2000 to 2002 but also during a 20-year career at the State Department.

"For most of his life, Mr. Rocha lived a lie," said David Newman, a senior national security official at the US Justice Department, adding that Rocha's life was one of betrayal and deceit for decades. 

According to a criminal complaint, Rocha even boasted, "What we have done…it's enormous. More than a grand slam." The comments were made to an undercover FBI agent, who introduced himself as a representative of Cuba's foreign intelligence service.

Many questions about Rocha's cooperation with Havana may never be answered, US officials have said.

ac/sms (AP, Reuters, AFP)