As the Rocha pleaded not liable out of prison recently in order to 15 federal counts , FBI and you can State department investigators was basically trying to decipher the newest case’s greatest destroyed part: just what longtime diplomat years investigations, challenging of the will-murky intelligence community, which is likely to need years.
S. counterintelligence officials, Cuban cleverness defectors, and you will members of the family and acquaintances away from Rocha so you can patch together what exactly is known so far regarding his alleged betrayal, as well as the missed clues and you will warning flags that may has helped your prevent scrutiny for decades.
It was not only Rodriguez’s tipster – just who the guy refused to pick into the AP however, claims is has just questioned because of the FBI. Authorities told the newest AP one since 1987, the new CIA are alert Castro got a beneficial “awesome mole” burrowed deep in You.S. regulators. Certain now think it may had been Rocha and therefore once the no less than 2010 he might was indeed to your a preliminary checklist made available to the brand new FBI out-of you can Cuban spies high up when you look at the overseas rules sectors.
Rocha’s lawyer did not address messages looking to feedback. Brand new FBI and you may CIA declined in order to review. The state Agencies said during the an announcement it can consistently run relevant agencies so you’re able to “completely gauge the overseas plan and national coverage effects ones fees.”
“This will be a great monumental screw-up,” told you Peter Romero, an old assistant secretary off county to have Latin The united states just who worked with Rocha. “We are all undertaking lots of soul-searching and you will no-one can put together some thing. The guy performed a remarkable jobs covering his tracks.”
Very humble Beginnings
He was produced when you look at the Colombia as well as years ten moved that have his widowed mommy and two siblings in order to Nyc. It lived for some time for the Harlem while their mom did from inside the an effective sweatshop and got because of the with the aid of restaurants stamps.
A talented basketball player that have a-sharp intelligence, the guy obtained a scholarship to possess minorities during the 1965 to attend The brand new Taft School, a top-notch boarding school in the Connecticut. Immediately he was catapulted as to the the guy called a great “ghetto” engulfed from inside the competition riots so you’re able to a refined field of Western wide range.
But as one of never assume all minorities within school, Rocha claims he sustained discrimination – along with a great classmate which refused to room that have your – something which supported a beneficial grudge you to definitely household members suspect have added him to esteem Castro’s trend.
Away from Taft, the guy decided to go to Yale, in which the guy finished with honors which have a qualification into the Latin american degree, following to scholar work at Harvard and you may Georgetown.
It isn’t clear exactly how Rocha may have been employed from the Cuba however, prosecutors state it just happened a bit about seventies when he was however accumulating levels and you will Western college or university campuses was basically teeming which have pupils sympathetic to help you leftist factors.
In 1973, the entire year the guy finished out of Yale, Rocha traveled so you’re able to Chile, where prosecutors state he turned into an effective “high buddy” away from Cuba’s cleverness service, the entire Directorate out-of Cleverness, otherwise DGI. One same seasons, the CIA assisted topple the latest Castro-backed socialist bodies out-of Salvador Allende, replacing they with an intense army dictatorship.
Within exact same big date, Rocha joined the initial out of his about three marriage ceremonies, to help you an older Colombian lady the guy rarely kissbrides.com our website talked about to family relations, and you will who’s today less than scrutiny having you can easily connections in order to Cuba, according to those who have been asked of the FBI. The newest AP is actually struggling to get to the lady otherwise to find any record of its wedding.
‘All the Element of An effective PLAN’
Once signing up for this new overseas provider when you look at the 1981, certainly one of Rocha’s basic to another country listings are just like the a political-army situations officer from inside the Honduras, where he advised new Contras within their fight against Cuba-backed leftist rebels when you look at the surrounding Nicaragua.
