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The federal trial of former Miami congressman David Rivera, accused of secretly lobbying for Venezuela’s government during the Trump administration, commenced Monday with Secretary of State Marco Rubio scheduled to testify about interactions with his former friend and one-time roommate.
Prosecutors allege Rivera served as a covert advocate for former President Nicolás Maduro, using Republican connections from his congressional tenure to persuade the White House to soften its stance toward Venezuela’s socialist government.
According to the government’s case, Rivera convinced then-Foreign Minister Delcy Rodríguez — now Venezuela’s acting president — to award him a $50 million lobbying contract paid by state oil company PDVSA. Prosecutors claim Rivera’s foreign influence campaign involved Texas Republican Rep. Pete Sessions and a convicted Cali cartel associate as he sought meetings with the White House and Exxon Mobil on Maduro’s behalf.
“This case is about two things: greed and betrayal,” prosecutor Roger Cruz stated in his opening remarks. “The evidence will show that for $50 million these two defendants made a pact to secretly lobby for Nicolás Maduro, the communist director, and his second in command Delcy Rodríguez.”
The trial provides a rare glimpse into Miami’s complex role in shaping U.S. Latin American policy. Rubio, Miami’s most prominent political figure, is expected to testify Tuesday regarding meetings with Rivera while the former congressman allegedly assisted Maduro’s diplomatic outreach.
An 11-count indictment unsealed in 2022 charges Rivera and Miami political consultant Esther Nuhfer with money laundering and failing to register as foreign agents. Prosecutors allege the pair established an encrypted chat group called “MIA” with Venezuelan media tycoon Raúl Gorrín, who was later charged in the U.S. with bribing Venezuelan officials.
The group reportedly used code words in their communications: Maduro was the “bus driver,” Sessions “Sombrero,” Rodríguez “The Lady in Red,” and millions of dollars “melons,” according to the government’s case.
Rivera, 60, maintains his innocence. His defense team argues that his firm, Interamerican Consulting, contracted with an American subsidiary of Venezuela’s state-owned oil company rather than PDVSA directly, exempting him from foreign agent registration requirements. They contend the $50 million contract focused exclusively on commercial work—attracting Exxon back to Venezuela.
“This is like a murder case without a murder, a drugs case without drugs, a kidnapping case without a kidnapping,” defense attorney Ed Shohat told jurors. “Nothing happened. Not one single policy of the U.S. was impacted by this case.”
Shohat characterized Rivera’s meetings with Rubio and others as separate from his consulting work, describing Rivera as a “staunch freedom fighter” who opposed communism and would never assist Maduro. “The government’s theory is utterly preposterous,” he argued.
Plaintiffs in a parallel civil case accuse Rivera of performing minimal work while using the contract to conceal illegal lobbying activities. Of approximately $20 million Rivera received, $3.75 million allegedly went to a South Florida company maintaining Gorrín’s luxury yacht.
Rubio’s anticipated testimony represents a rare occurrence—not since 1983 has a sitting Cabinet member testified in a criminal trial. While Rubio isn’t charged and the indictment doesn’t suggest impropriety on his part, prosecutors indicate Rivera viewed him as crucial to White House outreach.
The indictment details a July 9, 2017, meeting at Rubio’s Washington home where Rivera allegedly informed the senator he was working with Gorrín to persuade Maduro to accept a deal including free and fair elections. “Remember, U.S. should facilitate, not just support, a negotiated solution,” Rivera later texted Rubio before the senator met with Trump. “No vengeance, reconciliation.”
This diplomatic effort collapsed later that month when Trump sanctioned Maduro, calling him a “dictator” and launching a “maximum pressure” campaign against Venezuela’s government. Rubio subsequently appeared on Venezuelan television advocating the administration’s position.
Prosecutors also allege Rivera and Gorrín arranged New York meetings between Rodríguez and Sessions, whose district included Exxon’s headquarters. Sessions reportedly attempted to broker discussions between Rodríguez and Exxon CEO Darren Woods to resolve investment disputes, though Exxon’s legal team rejected the overture.
Nearly a year later, Sessions allegedly traveled secretly to Caracas for a Maduro meeting arranged by Gorrín and Rivera, agreeing to deliver a letter from the Venezuelan president to Trump.
Before his 2010 election to Congress, Rivera served as a high-ranking Florida legislator, sharing a Tallahassee residence with Rubio during the latter’s tenure as Florida House speaker. Rivera previously faced unrelated controversies, including allegations of secretly funding a Democratic spoiler candidate and campaign finance irregularities, though he has denied wrongdoing in those matters.
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14 Comments
This case highlights the importance of vigilance against foreign interference and the need for robust safeguards to protect the integrity of the political process.
The alleged involvement of a convicted cartel member is particularly concerning. I hope the trial sheds light on the full extent of the alleged influence campaign.
As a former congressman, Rivera’s alleged actions raise serious ethical and legal questions. I’m curious to see how his defense responds to the prosecutors’ claims.
The case seems to touch on broader issues of transparency and accountability in government. I hope the trial provides some much-needed clarity on these matters.
This trial will likely shed light on the murky world of lobbying and foreign influence in US politics. It will be interesting to see how the evidence and testimonies unfold.
The alleged involvement of a convicted Cali cartel associate adds an intriguing layer of complexity to the case. I wonder what other connections may emerge during the trial.
The case highlights the need for robust oversight and transparency in the realm of foreign influence and lobbying. I hope the trial leads to a better understanding of these issues.
The potential impact on US-Venezuela relations is concerning, given the already tense geopolitical situation. I’ll be following this case closely to see how it develops.
Fascinating case involving alleged secret lobbying for Venezuela’s government. Wonder what Rubio will say in his testimony and how it could impact the trial.
Greed and betrayal seem to be at the heart of this case. I’m curious to learn more about the foreign influence campaign and the role of the Republican connections.
This case highlights the complex web of political and financial interests surrounding Venezuela. I’m interested to see how the evidence unfolds and what implications it may have.
The allegations of a $50 million lobbying contract paid by the state oil company are quite significant. I wonder what the motivations were behind this arrangement.
The involvement of a former congressman and his connections to the White House raise important questions about transparency and accountability in foreign policy. This case deserves close attention.
The case seems to touch on broader issues of geopolitics and the role of energy interests. I’m curious to see how it may impact US-Venezuela relations going forward.