Marco Rubio testifies in former housemate's Maduro lobbying trial

Key Points:

• US Secretary of State Marco Rubio testified in the trial of former congressman David Rivera, accused of illegal lobbying on behalf of Venezuela's government, marking the first time a serving cabinet member has taken the stand in a criminal trial since 1983.
• Rivera and co-conspirator Esther Nuhfer were indicted in 2022 on money-laundering charges and for failing to register as foreign agents, allegedly receiving a $50 million contract to lobby US officials to ease sanctions on Venezuela.
• Prosecutors claim Rivera and Nuhfer sought to influence Rubio, then a senator, and former White House advisor Kellyanne Conway to benefit Nicolás Maduro's regime, with Rivera denying any wrongdoing and Rubio denying involvement in the alleged scheme.
• The indictment alleges the lobbying efforts were part of a secret pact to support the Maduro government, described by prosecutors as motivated by greed and betrayal.
• Rivera's defense argues his lobbying was legal and aimed at restoring Exxon’s operations in Venezuela, thus exempt from the Foreign Agents Registration Act.