Secretary of State Marco Rubio testified in a packed federal courtroom in Miami with heightened security about his interactions with former Miami congressman David Rivera nearly a decade ago, when his longtime friend was accused of secretly lobbying on behalf of Venezuela’s government. Rivera and an associate were charged in 2022 with money laundering and failing to register as a foreign agent after being awarded a $50 million lobbying contract from Nicolás Maduro’s government. Rivera denies wrongdoing.
“I was skeptical,” said Rubio during his testimony, adding that the Maduro government was full of “double dealers” who were constantly pitching plans to betray Maduro. As part of his work, Rivera and his co-defendant are accused of trying to arrange meetings for then-Foreign Minister Delcy Rodríguez - now Venezuela’s acting president - in Dallas, New York, Washington and Caracas, Venezuela, with White House officials, members of Congress and the chief executive officer of Exxon Mobil.
“But if there was a 1% chance it was real, and I had a role to play alerting the White House, I was open to doing that,” Rubio added. Rubio testified that he and Rivera became “very close” when both overlapped for six years as members of the Florida Legislature in the early 2000s. They stayed close when they went to Washington at the same time - Rubio elected to the Senate, Rivera to the House - and shared friends and family gatherings.
In July 2017, Rubio said he got a call from Rivera saying he needed to see him urgently to discuss Venezuela. The next morning, a Sunday, Rivera traveled to Washington and at a meeting at his home said he was working with Raul Gorrin, a media magnate in Venezuela who was Rivera’s main conduit to the Maduro government, on a plan to persuade Maduro to step aside. Within days, borrowing talking points provided by Rivera, Rubio wrote and delivered a speech on the Senate floor signaling the U.S. would not retaliate against Venezuelan government insiders who cooperated with regime change efforts.
The case highlights the complex web of relationships between Florida politicians and Venezuelan interests during a period of heightened tensions between the two countries. Rivera’s alleged lobbying activities occurred while he maintained close personal and political ties with Rubio, who has been one of the most vocal critics of the Maduro regime in Congress. The $50 million contract represents one of the largest foreign lobbying agreements to face federal prosecution in recent years.
Rubio’s testimony continues as federal prosecutors build their case against Rivera and his associate for allegedly violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act. The trial is expected to continue with additional witnesses and evidence regarding the scope of Rivera’s alleged lobbying activities on behalf of the Venezuelan government.