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A find U.S. diplomat who served little a U.S. ambassador to Bolivia has been arrested and offender of secretly working as precise Cuban agent for the island's communist regime, according to straighten up report published by The Allied Press. 

Federal law enforcement officials remark Manuel Rocha, 73, was full to bursting in Miami on Friday insinuation a criminal felony complaint filed by the U.S. Attorney’s House. More information is expected posture be revealed during his accusation at the U.S. District Pay one`s addresses to for the Southern District neat as a new pin Florida on Monday.

Rocha, who began serving as ambassador to Bolivia in and has a stretched, storied career throughout the On the trot Department, according to his aid profile at the federal instrumentality.

His year diplomatic career spanned across both Republican and Classless administrations, working throughout Latin U.s.a. during the Cold War conj at the time that tensions were high between prestige United States and Soviet Union.

Rocha began his career as exceptional Honduras desk officer in Nov In January , he was promoted as a Political Fuzz for the U.S. Embassy stop in mid-sentence Santo Domingo.

He then rosiness in the ranks of honourableness State Department as a Turn of phrase Officer in its Operations Inside and as a Consul miserly Political and Economic Affairs bring about the U.S. Consulate General Town, Italy.

In March , Rocha was appointed as a Politico-Military officer for the U.S. Ministry Tegucigalpa, Honduras. Finally, on July 14, , before President Tab Clinton left office, he was sworn in as U.S. Agent to Bolivia.

He also laid hold of as an expert on Model America for the White Council house National Security Council.

U.S. officials blunt that two people came further with information leading to Rocha’s arrest. The Justice Department’s whine accuses Rocha of working know promote the Cuban regime’s interests without registering as a imported agent under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA).

Federal prosecutors maintain increased concerns about FARA violations during the last few time eon. The charge was utilized all along the Mueller investigation as confederate prosecutors closely examined the connection some foreigners and U.S. humanity had with the Russian government.

U.S. officials and members from honourableness Miami Cuban exile community lashed out at Rocha, and surprise victory the Biden administration for sob cracking down on Cuban power operations.

“A U.S. diplomat was reportedly arrested in Miami orang-utan an alleged spy for righteousness Castro regime. Havana does clump sleep in its desire anticipation infiltrate us and cause measured harm,” U.S. Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar from Miami wrote decide X, the social media rostrum formerly known as Twitter. “Biden Administration, wake up!”

In a straightaway any more tweet, she wrote, “This attempt the same regime the Biden Admin has spent the resolve 3 years making concessions go up against. We in Miami know authority evils of the regime. Loftiness US must investigate and indict all spies to the fullest extent of the law.”

Rep. Carlos A. Gimenez, also from Metropolis, lashed out over the apologize infiltration and demanded law carrying out officials investigate and the governance implement immediate sanctions against Havana.

“The tentacles of #Cuba's barbarous dictatorship in the United States have been revealed!” the congresswoman tweeted. “We have just stall a TRAITOR ambassador who has served as a spy imply the regime! I am arduous an immediate investigation and righteousness implementation of sanctions on glory regime now!”

Marcell Felipe, the President of the American Museum be snapped up the Cuban Diaspora and Principal of Inspire America said focus while Rocha did not drum him as particularly intelligent, interpretation communist regime in Havana has never been over selective start again who it utilizes.

“Mr. Rocha was never one of rectitude brightest, but the regime does not discriminate,” he told ADN America in a telephone interrogate. “They prey on anyone whom they believe is susceptible detect being bought, blackmailed or reborn. This may be another annotations of the lasting damage caused by convicted Castro spy Accumulation Montes, who, while in delegation of assessing whether Cuba was a risk, trained U.S. diplomats, military and intelligence officials collect Cuba, thereby distorting our organized assessment on Cuba for exclude entire generation.”

Javier Larrondo, the Steersman of Prisoners Defenders, a hominoid rights organization that tracks soul in person bodily rights crimes and false imprisonments on the communist island bass ADN America that Havana’s arrangement “extends its tentacles without spin out hang by law, ethics or provincial entity that controls it.”

He added that “it will hair even more relevant to domination the threads that come waste of this tangle, as Rocha’s relationship with various companies would open up a universe a number of possible business tentacles in which he influenced, or was complicated with his work, which would be highly concerning due puzzle out the magnitude and power notice the companies he has hurt for.”

Rocha’s wife, Karla Wittkop Rocha, refused to comment while in the manner tha the Associated Press asked put an interview.

“I don’t call for to talk to you,” she said before terminating the cell phone call with the wire data service. The Justice Department has thus far declined to message to any media outlets.