MIAMI (AP) — Secretary of State Marco Rubio is currently testifying regarding his interactions with former Miami congressman David Rivera, who stands accused of clandestinely lobbying for the Venezuelan government nearly a decade ago.
Rivera and a business partner were charged in 2022 with money laundering and failing to register as foreign agents after securing a staggering $50 million lobbying contract from Nicolás Maduro’s government.
While on the stand, Rubio stated that he and Rivera shared a close working relationship, having overlapped for six years in the Florida Legislature.
As outlined by the prosecution, Rivera and his co-defendant attempted to arrange high-level meetings for then-Venezuelan Foreign Minister Delcy Rodríguez, now acting president, with officials from the White House, Congress, and corporate executives such as the CEO of ExxonMobil, as part of their lobbying activities.
In an effort to disguise their actions, prosecutors claim Rivera and others formed a chat group named MIA—abbreviated from Miami—utilizing code words in Spanish to refer to well-known figures and large sums of money, referring to Rubio as “Little Cuban,” Rodríguez as “The Lady in Red,” and “melons” for millions.
The contract's primary objective, per the prosecution, was to convince the Trump administration to normalize relations with Maduro's increasingly isolated regime,—a task that seemed elusive during Trump's tenure but appears more feasible today with shifts in political dynamics following Maduro's regime transitions.
Prosecutor Roger Cruz emphasized in his opening statements that the trial revolves around themes of “greed and betrayal,” outlining how Rivera and his partner allegedly made a deal to secretly lobby for Maduro and his government.
Rivera’s defense counters that his consulting firm did not lobby for the Venezuelan government directly, arguing that he was instead engaged in securing investments in Venezuela relating to the oil industry, which ostensibly nullifies any obligation to register under foreign lobbying laws.
The dynamics of this trial are further accentuated by the rarity of Rubio's testimony—something that hasn’t been seen since Labor Secretary Raymond Donovan testified in a Mafia case back in 1983, marking this proceeding as a notable event in legal and political circles.
Rivera and a business partner were charged in 2022 with money laundering and failing to register as foreign agents after securing a staggering $50 million lobbying contract from Nicolás Maduro’s government.
While on the stand, Rubio stated that he and Rivera shared a close working relationship, having overlapped for six years in the Florida Legislature.
As outlined by the prosecution, Rivera and his co-defendant attempted to arrange high-level meetings for then-Venezuelan Foreign Minister Delcy Rodríguez, now acting president, with officials from the White House, Congress, and corporate executives such as the CEO of ExxonMobil, as part of their lobbying activities.
In an effort to disguise their actions, prosecutors claim Rivera and others formed a chat group named MIA—abbreviated from Miami—utilizing code words in Spanish to refer to well-known figures and large sums of money, referring to Rubio as “Little Cuban,” Rodríguez as “The Lady in Red,” and “melons” for millions.
The contract's primary objective, per the prosecution, was to convince the Trump administration to normalize relations with Maduro's increasingly isolated regime,—a task that seemed elusive during Trump's tenure but appears more feasible today with shifts in political dynamics following Maduro's regime transitions.
Prosecutor Roger Cruz emphasized in his opening statements that the trial revolves around themes of “greed and betrayal,” outlining how Rivera and his partner allegedly made a deal to secretly lobby for Maduro and his government.
Rivera’s defense counters that his consulting firm did not lobby for the Venezuelan government directly, arguing that he was instead engaged in securing investments in Venezuela relating to the oil industry, which ostensibly nullifies any obligation to register under foreign lobbying laws.
The dynamics of this trial are further accentuated by the rarity of Rubio's testimony—something that hasn’t been seen since Labor Secretary Raymond Donovan testified in a Mafia case back in 1983, marking this proceeding as a notable event in legal and political circles.
