Initial Lessons from the Rocha Case: The United States Must Remain Alert for Foreign Intelligence Threats

The allegations against Victor Manuel Rocha, a former U.S. ambassador to Bolivia and alleged Cuban agent, read like a Cold War spy novel. 

Federal prosecutors accuse Rocha of serving as a covert operative of Cuba, "an authoritarian, Communist state," during a multi-decade career that provided Rocha with access to the nation's closely guarded secrets and the opportunity to influence senior decision-makers. The case highlights the persistence of foreign intelligence services in general, and Cuba in particular, as threats to U.S. national security. It should be an interesting case to follow based on the specific charges, the conduct alleged, and the counterintelligence background and implications of the case.