Believed to be the last living signatory of Cuba's 1940 Constitution, he served as Senator (1940–1948) and became part of the opposition against both Fulgencio Batista and Fidel Castro, ultimately going into exile in the 1960s.

Dr. Ochoa was arrested 32 times because of his political beliefs and went into exile in 1960, following the takeover of the country by Fidel Castro, who had formerly been a member of the Partido Ortodoxo.

However, the revolutionary government stayed in power and Ochoa left Cuba for good years later.

In the 1980s, he practiced dentistry with the Miami Medical Team that traveled to Nicaragua to help the Contras fighting the Sandinistas.

Ochoa died of cardiac arrest at his home in Miami on June 27, 2007, one week short of his 100th birthday.