Marco Rubio testifies in former housemate's Maduro lobbying trial

March 24, 2026

Marco Rubio made history as the first sitting U.S. cabinet member since 1983 to testify in a criminal trial, appearing in the case against former Miami congressman David Rivera. Rivera and associate Esther Nuhfer face charges of money laundering and failing to register as foreign agents after allegedly accepting a $50 million contract to secretly lobby the first Trump administration on behalf of Venezuela's state oil company and the Maduro government. Prosecutors claim the defendants sought to persuade Rubio and other officials to ease sanctions against Venezuela, while Rivera maintains his lobbying work was legal because it focused on bringing American oil companies back to Venezuela.

Who is affected

David Rivera (former congressman, defendant)
Esther Nuhfer (co-defendant)
Marco Rubio (U.S. Secretary of State and witness)
Nicolás Maduro (former Venezuelan president)
Delcy Rodriguez (acting president of Venezuela)
Kellyanne Conway (former White House advisor, targeted for lobbying)
PDVSA/Citgo (Venezuelan state oil company and U.S. subsidiary)
The first Trump administration officials

What action is being taken

Marco Rubio is testifying in the criminal trial
Prosecutors are presenting evidence and arguments against Rivera and Nuhfer
Defense attorneys are arguing that Rivera's lobbying work was exempt from registration requirements
The criminal trial is proceeding in Florida federal court

Why it matters

This case represents a significant breach of trust involving a former U.S. congressman allegedly working secretly for a hostile foreign government to influence American foreign policy. The trial is historically notable as it involves the first cabinet-level testimony in a criminal case in over 40 years, highlighting the seriousness of the allegations. The case also raises important questions about foreign influence operations, particularly regarding how adversarial governments like Venezuela's attempt to manipulate U.S. sanctions policy through illicit lobbying efforts.

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: BBC