U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio testified in federal court on Tuesday, stating he had no knowledge of any alleged illegal activities involving former Congressman David Rivera, who is accused of secretly lobbying for Venezuela during the Trump administration.
Rubio recounted a 2017 meeting with Rivera, his former housemate, during which Rivera claimed that insiders within the Venezuelan government had persuaded then-President Nicolás Maduro to step down. Rubio expressed doubt about the claim, noting that similar assertions had often come from unreliable sources.
Prosecutors allege Rivera, along with co-defendant Esther Nuhfer, attempted to influence U.S. policy on behalf of Maduro and then-Foreign Minister Delcy Rodríguez. Their alleged goal was to ease tensions and reduce sanctions between the United States and Venezuela.
According to the charges, Rivera and Nuhfer were hired under a $50 million contract in 2017 to lobby for a U.S.-based subsidiary of Venezuela’s state oil company, CITGO. They were later indicted in 2022 on accusations including money laundering and failing to register as foreign agents.
Court documents state that Rivera and Nuhfer sought meetings with Rubio, who was then a U.S. senator, as well as former White House adviser Kellyanne Conway. While attempts to meet Conway were unsuccessful, prosecutors say the pair managed to arrange two meetings with Rubio.
During his testimony, Rubio emphasized that he had no direct knowledge of the alleged crimes or the multimillion-dollar contract. He stated that any information he had came only from media reports and the indictment.
Rubio also explained that although he and Rivera had once lived together while serving in the Florida legislature, their communication became less frequent after Rivera left Congress in 2013. He said he was unaware of Rivera’s professional activities or consulting work in later years.
Describing their 2017 interaction, Rubio said Rivera urgently requested a meeting to discuss developments in Venezuela. During the discussion, Rivera claimed that businessman Raúl Gorrín would deliver a letter intended for then-President Donald Trump, signaling internal opposition to Maduro.
Rubio said he questioned the credibility of the claims and did not take Rivera at his word. He also noted that Rivera showed him what appeared to be large sums of money on a laptop, though the source of the funds was never explained.
After the meeting, Rubio said he briefly informed the White House about the possibility of developments in Venezuela but never received the promised letter. He added that had he known Rivera was allegedly representing a Venezuelan government-linked entity, he would not have taken any action.
A second meeting later that month proved unproductive, Rubio said, as no letter was delivered. He described the encounter as frustrating and a “waste of time.”
Shortly after, Rubio learned of a reported assassination threat against him linked to a Venezuelan group allegedly associated with Diosdado Cabello, resulting in extended security protection and intelligence briefings.
Prosecutors argue that the case centers on financial motives and deception, alleging Rivera and Nuhfer agreed to secretly lobby for Maduro in exchange for millions. However, Rivera has denied all wrongdoing.
His defense team contends that his actions were legal and not subject to foreign agent registration laws, arguing that his efforts were aimed at facilitating business opportunities, including bringing Exxon back into Venezuela. They also maintain that his meetings with Rubio were unrelated to the alleged lobbying work.
The trial, overseen by Melissa Damian, included a lighter moment when Rivera’s attorney jokingly asked Rubio for an autograph, prompting laughter in the courtroom.