Virgilio Gonzalez

Virgilio "Villo" R. González (May 18, 1926 – July 16, 2014) was a Cuban-born political activist and locksmith. He gained historical prominence as one of the five men apprehended at the Democratic National Committee headquarters within the Watergate building complex on June 17, 1972. The resulting break-in launched the Watergate scandal, which culminated in the resignation of United States President Richard Nixon two years later.

Originally from Cuba, González held early jobs as a barber and a house painter. He also worked as a private driver for Felipe Vidal Santiago, an officer in the Cuban navy. Following Fidel Castro's rise to power in 1959, González departed Cuba and relocated to the United States.

After settling in Miami, González got involved with anti-Castro political groups while maintaining his occupation as a locksmith. His technical capabilities prompted his recruitment into a group conducting covert operations for the Nixon White House. Managed by E. Howard Hunt—who operated under his previous CIA code name "Eduardo"—the group recognized Hunt from his prior role in the Bay of Pigs Invasion.

González was brought into the Watergate break-in team because of his lock-picking abilities and his association with operative Eugenio Martínez. An initial midnight break-in failed because González lacked the proper equipment to bypass the Democratic Party office locks. Consequently, Hunt dispatched him back to his Miami shop to pick up the correct tools. Upon returning, González successfully picked the locks, enabling the team to place listening devices inside three office telephones.

The team was directed to break in a second time to remove the installed bugs and capture 1,440 photographs of Democratic Party documents. González bypassed the lock easily on this attempt, but the group discovered that one of the previously installed bug tapes had disappeared. Choosing to ignore the risk, they continued photographing papers until authorities discovered and arrested them. González ultimately pleaded guilty and completed a 13-month prison term.

Following his release from prison, González preferred not to speak with reporters regarding the Watergate break-in. He transitioned away from locksmithing to operate an auto mechanic shop. By 2012, he was living in Miami alongside his second wife and expressed satisfaction with his later life. He passed away in Miami on July 16, 2014, at 88 years of age.

González's role in the Watergate break-in has been dramatized in screen productions. Actor Nate Esformes portrayed him in the 1976 feature film All the President's Men, while Nelson Ascencio played him in the 2023 television mini-series White House Plumbers.