MIAMI — The federal trial of ex-Congressman David Rivera commenced Monday, centering on allegations he covertly lobbied for Venezuela’s socialist government during the Trump administration. Prosecutors assert Rivera leveraged his Republican connections to influence U.S. policy toward Venezuela while secretly receiving millions from Caracas.
The case offers unprecedented insight into how Miami’s political landscape shapes U.S.-Latin American relations. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, scheduled to testify Tuesday, represents a central figure in the proceedings due to his longstanding friendship with Rivera, including their time as roommates in Florida.
According to court documents, Rivera allegedly secured a $50 million lobbying contract through Venezuela’s state oil company PDVSA, facilitated by then-Foreign Minister Delcy Rodríguez. Prosecutors claim he employed an elaborate scheme involving encrypted chats with code names—referring to President Nicolás Maduro as ‘bus driver’ and millions of dollars as ‘melons’—to conceal his activities.
The indictment charges Rivera with money laundering and operating as an unregistered foreign agent. His defense maintains his consulting work focused on Venezuela’s U.S. energy interests and was separate from diplomatic efforts. However, civil plaintiffs allege the contract primarily served as cover for illegal lobbying, with funds diverted to maintain a luxury yacht belonging to Venezuelan media tycoon Raúl Gorrín.
The trial highlights unusual diplomatic backchannels, including Rivera’s attempts to arrange meetings between Venezuelan officials and Exxon Mobil through Texas Republican Pete Sessions. Despite failed normalization efforts in 2017, the case emerges as current U.S.-Venezuela relations show tentative signs of improvement under different circumstances.