• Marco Rubio testifies in the trial of David Rivera, accused of lobbying for the Venezuelan government.
• Rivera and his co-defendant, Esther Nuhfer, are charged with money laundering and failing to register as foreign agents.
• The lobbying contract was allegedly worth $50 million for work related to the Maduro administration.
• Rubio, a former housemate of Rivera, insists he was unaware of Rivera's lobbying activities.
• This marks the first time a sitting cabinet member has testified in a criminal trial since 1983.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has taken the stand in the trial of former Congressman David Rivera, who is accused of illegally lobbying on behalf of Nicolás Maduro's Venezuelan government. Rubio's testimony is notable as he is the first sitting cabinet member to testify in a criminal trial since 1983. Prosecutors allege that Rivera, along with co-defendant Esther Nuhfer, received a contract worth $50 million for three months of lobbying to influence the first Trump administration in hopes of easing sanctions against Venezuela, according to Reuters, CBS News, Los Angeles Times, and BBC.

Rivera and Nuhfer were indicted in 2022 on charges of money laundering and failing to register as foreign agents. Prosecutors claimed they attempted to arrange meetings with high-ranking officials, including Rubio, and that their actions were part of a broader scheme to influence U.S. policy toward Venezuela. Rivera has denied any wrongdoing, asserting that his work aimed to return U.S. oil giant Exxon to Venezuela. He contended that his efforts were commercial and therefore did not require registration under the Foreign Agents Registration Act, according to Reuters, CBS News, and Los Angeles Times.

Rubio testified that he became close friends with Rivera during their time in the Florida Legislature, and acknowledged meeting him in July 2017 at a crucial moment. He recounted that Rivera expressed urgency about a plan to persuade Maduro to step down. Rubio described his skepticism about such plans but stated he would support any genuine efforts to secure a peaceful resolution, relying on insights provided by Rivera in preparing a Senate speech, which indicated non-retaliation against regime insiders, as reported by Reuters, CBS News, Los Angeles Times, and BBC.

During his testimony, Rubio made it clear that he had no knowledge of Rivera's lobbying for the Maduro regime, asserting that there were no accusations against him for his interactions with Rivera. Prosecutors characterized the case as one of greed and betrayal, emphasizing the allegations against Rivera and Nuhfer for secretly lobbying for Maduro, according to CBS News and Los Angeles Times.

As the trial unfolds, analysts note the implications of a sitting cabinet member testifying in such a context, reflecting on the challenges faced in U.S.-Venezuela relations. Rivera's defense attorney has argued that the charges are baseless, likening the case to "a murder case without a murder," supporting Rivera's position that his focus was not on lobbying for a tyrannical regime, according to CBS News and BBC.