Former US Ambassador Who Spied for Cuba Is Among 12 People Facing Loss of Citizenship

Terrorists and a priest convicted of sexually assaulting a child are also on the Justice Department’s list.

Victor Manuel Rocha during a meeting with an FBI undercover employee in an undated image contained in the affidavit supporting a criminal complaint. Justice Department via AP

A native Colombian convicted of serving as a spy for Cuba while also serving as a U.S. ambassador was one of 12 people the U.S. Justice Department (DOJ) sought to denaturalize this week.

Federal authorities filed a civil denaturalization complaint May 7 against Victor Manuel Rocha, 75, in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida based on his admission during criminal proceedings that he started spying for Cuba in 1973 before he was naturalized in 1978, according to the DOJ.