Cuba's new ambassador to Peru is "a spy with vast experience," says former Cuban intelligence official

Carlos Rafael Zamora, Cuba's new ambassador to Peru, is "a spy with vast experience," said former Cuban intelligence officer Enrique García.

According to Peruvian media sources, Zamora’s appointment by the Castro regime represents a “risk” for the democracy of the Andean country, which is already plagued with political instability after the election of left-wing Pedro Castillo.

"He is a Cuban intelligence agent with more than 50 years of espionage experience," Garcia told Peru21 from his home in Miami.

"His colleagues nicknamed him the 'Rooster.' I worked with his wife Maura Juanperez; both have the rank of colonels within the Cuban General Intelligence Directorate”, he added.

The General Intelligence Directorate, which falls under the Ministry of the Interior, routinely infiltrates Cuban diplomatic missions in an illegal and clandestine manner. Many of the island's ambassadors and diplomatic personnel, as well as a large part of the regime's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, belong to it.

Cuba’s intelligence agency recruits agents in the countries in which it operates in order to obtain relevant information and influence and systematically infiltrates foreign governments with the aim of advancing Cuban interests.

According to Garcia, the new ambassador in Lima “is in a better position than others” to help advance the interests of the Cuban dictatorship.

“If the government of Peru decides to destroy democracy from within, it will find an ally in Zamora. Evo Morales’ relationship with Zamora is a good example of that,” Garcia added.

“If the government of Peru decides to destroy democracy from within, it will have the best advisor in the world in Zamora. Evo Morales and his relationship with Zamora are a good example of that, "he said.

According to the former spy, Cuban intelligence has had a large operational base in Peru since before Zamora was appointed ambassador. Garcia also noted that the extreme left’s electoral victory “represented a victory for Cuba.”

"Cuba will radicalize the left and try to make Peruvian democracy move towards a dictatorship," Garcia told Peru21.

“I am concerned about the access that Zamora has to the ruling party -- this makes him even more dangerous. Zamora's mission is probably to advise the current government so that it can remain in power,” he added.

García's statements about the new Cuban ambassador prompted the president of the Foreign Relations Commission of the Peruvian Parliament, Ernesto Bustamante, to send an official letter to the Foreign Ministry to request information about Zamora’s accreditation.

Pedido de información a @CancilleriaPeru respecto de la acreditación como embajador de Cuba en el Perú de un alto funcionario de inteligencia de Cuba, con antecedentes en la dirección de programas de subversión, que es amigo cercano del ciudadano boliviano Juan Evo Morales Ayma. pic.twitter.com/GwwlEZUjrP

— Ernesto Bustamante (@ErnesBustamante) December 4, 2021

“The Cuban citizen Carlos Rafael Zamora Rodríguez is an agent of the Cuban Intelligence Directorate and is known to be an agent who specializes in directing penetration, influence and subversion programs in countries of the world that are of geopolitical interest for Cuba,” Bustamante noted in the letter.

He went on to recall that agents linked to former Bolivian president Evo Morales’ regime were allegedly active in Peru and are likely in touch with the new ambassador.