Secretary of State Marco Rubio Testifies in Ex‑Rep. David Rivera’s Foreign‑Agent and Money‑Laundering Trial Over Alleged Secret Lobbying for Venezuela’s Maduro
In Miami federal court, Secretary of State Marco Rubio testified under oath in the trial of former Rep. David Rivera, who with associate Esther Nuhfer is charged in an 11‑count indictment alleging money laundering and failure to register as foreign agents tied to a purported $50 million, three‑month 2017 lobbying deal with PDVSA/CITGO brokered via Delcy Rodríguez. Prosecutors say Rivera used encrypted chats and code names to secretly lobby the Trump administration — a scheme framed as one of “greed and betrayal” — while the defense maintains the work was commercial consulting for a U.S. Citgo subsidiary and thus exempt from FARA; Rubio, who asked to be called after the defense signaled it would call him, described his contacts with Rivera and intermediaries and has said Rivera’s lobbying had “nothing to do” with their relationship. Rubio’s testimony is the first time in decades a sitting Cabinet member has taken the stand in a criminal trial.
📌 Key Facts
- The federal trial of former Rep. David Rivera formally began in Miami federal court; Rivera and associate Esther Nuhfer were indicted in 2022 on an 11-count indictment charging money laundering and failing to register as foreign agents tied to a reported $50 million, three-month 2017 contract involving CITGO/PDVSA.
- Prosecutors say the $50 million contract was brokered via then‑foreign minister (now acting president) Delcy Rodríguez and allege Rivera and Nuhfer made a pact to secretly lobby on behalf of Nicolás Maduro’s government, framing the case as one of 'greed and betrayal.'
- Prosecutors say Rivera used an encrypted 'MIA' chat with businessman Raúl Gorrín and employed code names — for example, 'bus driver' for Nicolás Maduro, 'The Lady in Red' for Delcy Rodríguez, 'Sombrero' for Rep. Pete Sessions, and 'melons' for millions of dollars.
- Rivera’s defense says his work was commercial consulting for a U.S. CITGO subsidiary aimed at luring Exxon back to Venezuela and therefore exempt from the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA); the defense also argued meetings with U.S. officials (including Marco Rubio) were unrelated to any Maduro‑linked work and characterized the case as overblown.
- Marco Rubio is identified in the indictment as 'U.S. Senator 1'; he told the FBI in 2020 that a 2017 meeting with Raúl Gorrín was presented as discussing a 'peaceful transition of power,' and Rubio has publicly said Rivera’s lobbying had 'nothing to do' with him and that 'there’s not a single person claiming otherwise.'
- Rubio asked to be called as a prosecution witness after Rivera’s defense signaled it would call him; he then took the stand under oath in the Miami trial, becoming the first sitting U.S. secretary of state in recent history — and the first Cabinet member in more than 40 years, by some accounts — to testify in a criminal trial.
- News coverage says Rubio’s in‑court testimony included detailed exchanges with prosecutors and defense about his contacts with Rivera and Venezuelan intermediaries, clarified whether Rivera disclosed working for Maduro‑linked interests, and prompted observable courtroom and juror reactions that could bear on the government’s case.
📊 Relevant Data
Since 2015, more than 7 million Venezuelans have emigrated due to ongoing economic and political turmoil, with the U.S. receiving a significant portion of these migrants.
The Reasons Behind the Increased Migration from Venezuela, Cuba, and Nicaragua — Forum Together
U.S. sanctions on Venezuela, imposed since 2017, have been estimated to cause 4.1 million of the 7 million Venezuelans who fled the country, by exacerbating economic decline equivalent to 213% of GDP loss in oil revenue.
Economic Sanctions: A Root Cause of Migration - Summary — CEPR
The number of Venezuelan immigrants in the United States nearly tripled from 2010 to 2023, rising from approximately 240,000 to over 700,000, with Miami hosting the largest community.
The number of Venezuelan immigrants in the United States has nearly tripled since 2010 — Facebook (but invalid source, using underlying migrationpolicy.org reference)
Between 1966 and 2015, the DOJ brought only seven criminal FARA cases, but enforcement has increased significantly since 2019, with over 11 cases from 2019-2025, including Venezuela-related indictments.
Back to the Future: Developments and Potential Changes for FARA on the Horizon — Pryor Cashman
A 2025 poll showed 72% approval among Venezuelans for opposition leader María Corina Machado, indicating strong diaspora support for regime change post-Maduro.
For anxious Venezuelan diaspora, 'actual regime change' and a return home may be closer than ever — WLRN
📰 Source Timeline (6)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- Rubio has now taken the stand in the Miami trial and testified under oath, rather than merely being scheduled to appear.
- The article describes the substance and tone of Rubio’s testimony about his contacts with Rivera and with Venezuelan officials or intermediaries, clarifying whether Rivera ever disclosed he was working on behalf of Maduro‑linked interests.
- Coverage includes specific exchanges between Rubio and prosecutors/defense, including any contradictions with Rivera’s defense narrative that the work was purely commercial consulting exempt from FARA.
- The piece notes courtroom dynamics and how jurors reacted, offering insight into how central Rubio’s account may be to the government’s case.
- Confirms that Rubio’s testimony is scheduled for Tuesday in the Miami trial, making him the first sitting Cabinet member in more than 40 years to take the stand in a criminal trial.
- Reiterates that Rivera and associate Esther Nuhfer were indicted in 2022 on charges of acting as unregistered foreign agents for Venezuela and money laundering, specifically alleged lobbying of the first Trump administration on behalf of Nicolás Maduro.
- Adds detail that Rubio was a target of Rivera’s alleged efforts to influence the Trump White House and underscores Rubio’s past public statement that he worked closely with Rivera "but not on this" and that "there’s not a single person claiming otherwise."
- Confirms that Delcy Rodríguez, formerly Venezuela’s foreign minister, is now serving as interim president after the U.S. removed Nicolás Maduro in January and brought him to the U.S. for prosecution on narco‑terrorism–related charges.
- Clarifies that prosecutors frame the alleged scheme as a $50 million, three‑month contract in 2017 to lobby the first Trump administration via a U.S.-based PDVSA subsidiary operating under the CITGO name.
- Provides detailed summary of defense arguments in opening statements that Rivera’s work was commercial and focused on bringing Exxon back to Venezuela, which they argue exempts him from FARA.
- Restates and contextualizes Rubio’s prior CBS comments that Rivera’s lobbying had 'nothing to do' with him or their relationship and that 'there’s not a single person claiming otherwise.'
- Spells out that attempts to lobby Kellyanne Conway failed, while two meetings with Rubio were arranged, which the defense claims were unrelated to the alleged Maduro‑linked consulting work.
- Rubio specifically asked to be called as a prosecution witness after Rivera’s defense team signaled it would call him, according to three Axios sources.
- Axios confirms Rubio will be the first sitting U.S. secretary of state in recent history to testify in a criminal trial.
- The article details that Rivera and co-defendant Esther Nuhfer are charged in an 11-count indictment involving money laundering and failure to register as foreign agents for Nicolás Maduro’s government, centered on a $50 million 2017 contract with CITGO.
- Rubio is identified in the indictment as 'U.S. Senator 1' and told the FBI in 2020 that a 2017 meeting with businessman Raúl Gorrín was pitched as discussing a 'peaceful transition of power' in Venezuela.
- Prosecutor Roger Cruz is quoted in opening statements describing the case as about 'greed and betrayal' and alleging the defendants made a pact to secretly lobby for Maduro and Delcy Rodríguez.
- Defense lawyer Ed Shohat likens the case to Seinfeld 'about nothing,' arguing Rivera tried to remove Maduro from power rather than help him stay.
- The piece situates the trial’s timing as 'extremely inconvenient' for Rubio, who is simultaneously helping manage fallout from the Iran war, Venezuela regime change, and Trump’s stated plans to 'take' Cuba.
- Confirms that the federal trial of former Rep. David Rivera formally began Monday in Miami federal court.
- Details that prosecutors allege Rivera secured a $50 million, three‑month lobbying contract to be paid by Venezuelan state oil company PDVSA, brokered via then–Foreign Minister Delcy Rodríguez, now Venezuela’s acting president.
- Adds that prosecutors say Rivera set up an encrypted 'MIA' chat with media tycoon Raúl Gorrín, using code names such as 'bus driver' for Nicolás Maduro, 'The Lady in Red' for Delcy Rodríguez, 'Sombrero' for Rep. Pete Sessions, and 'melons' for millions of dollars.
- Reports defense counsel’s opening argument that Rivera worked for a U.S. Citgo subsidiary, not PDVSA directly, and that his $50 million contract was supposedly commercial work to lure Exxon back to Venezuela and thus exempt from FARA.
- Provides prosecutor Roger Cruz’s framing quote that the case is about 'two things: greed and betrayal' and accuses Rivera and co‑defendant Esther Nuhfer of making 'a pact to secretly lobby for Nicolás Maduro.'