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Rabat – US Secretary of State Marco Rubio testified on Tuesday in the criminal trial of former congressman David Rivera, marking the first time in more than four decades that a sitting cabinet member has taken the stand in a criminal case.
Rivera is accused by federal prosecutors of secretly lobbying on behalf of Nicolas Maduro’s government during the first administration of President Donald Trump in an effort to ease US sanctions on Venezuela.
Prosecutors allege Rivera and co-defendant Esther Nuhfer received a $50 million contract tied to Citgo, a US-based subsidiary of Venezuela’s state oil company PDVSA, for lobbying work conducted in 2017.
Both defendants have denied wrongdoing. Rivera’s legal team argues his activities were aimed at facilitating a return of the US oil companies to Venezuela and therefore did not require registration under the Foreign Agents Registration Act.
Rubio, who has not been accused of any misconduct, told the court he was unaware Rivera was allegedly acting on behalf of Maduro when the two met to discuss US policy toward Venezuela.
“I would not have engaged in it” had he known, Rubio said, describing his longtime personal and political relationship with Rivera.
The two men previously served in Florida politics and were once housemates, a connection that has drawn added scrutiny to the case.
Prosecutors contend Rivera attempted to leverage that relationship, arranging meetings with Rubio and seeking access to senior Trump administration officials, including former White House adviser Kellyanne Conway. While meetings with Rubio took place, no meeting with Conway was secured, according to court filings.
During testimony, Rubio drew laughter in the courtroom when asked about his employment. “I have two jobs,” he said. “I am the secretary of state of the United States and the president’s national security advisor.”
In opening statements, prosecutor Roger Cruz framed the case as driven by “greed and betrayal,” alleging the defendants entered into a covert agreement to advance Maduro’s interests in Washington.
Rivera’s defense rejected the characterization. “This is like a murder case without a murder,” attorney Ed Shahat told the court.
The trial also unfolds against a shifting political backdrop in Venezuela. Following Maduro’s capture by US forces earlier this year, Delcy Rodríguez assumed a leading role in the government.
Rubio’s appearance is historically rare. The last time a sitting US cabinet official testified in a criminal trial was in 1983, when Labor Secretary Raymond Donovan took the stand in a mafia-related case.
