Former US ambassador to Bolivia, Manuel Rocha, has been arrested in Miami on charges of secretly acting as an agent of Cuba, according to sources familiar with the matter. Rocha, 73, is accused of working to advance the interests of the Cuban government inside the US without registering with the Justice Department as required by law. This arrest comes as part of the Justice Department's increased crackdown on illegal foreign lobbying. Rocha's career spanned 25 years and included postings in various Latin American countries during the Cold War era.

He also served as the US ambassador to Bolivia where he meddled in the country's 2002 presidential election. Rocha's intervention backfired as Evo Morales, a former coca farmer and leftist leader, won the election three years later, and expelled Rocha's successor for inciting "civil war". After retiring from the State Department, Rocha pursued a second career in business, holding senior positions in various companies. The details of the case against him are expected to be revealed during a court hearing on Monday.