Secretary of State Marco Rubio appeared in Miami federal court to testify in the criminal case against former Rep. David Rivera, who is accused of illegally lobbying for Venezuela. Rivera, Rubio’s former roommate and friend from the 1990s, denies wrongdoing. Prosecutors say Rivera had a $50 million contract with the Venezuelan regime and was paid about $20 million; Rivera faces charges including money laundering and failing to register as a foreign agent.
Rubio was called to the stand just before 10 a.m., wearing a dark-blue suit. When prosecutors asked if he was employed, Rubio replied, “I have two jobs. I’m secretary of state, and I’m also the national security advisor,” a remark that drew laughter in the courtroom. He described his long friendship and past roommate relationship with Rivera and testified he was unaware Rivera had allegedly been working with the Venezuelan regime.
Rubio testified about two meetings with Rivera in 2017. According to Rubio, Rivera said he could produce a letter from Nicolás Maduro promising to step down and hold free and fair elections; that claim did not materialize. Rubio’s testimony lasted about four hours. He is not accused of any wrongdoing in the case.
Before testifying, Rivera appeared upbeat. He told a reporter he would comment after Rubio’s testimony. The trial is expected to last several weeks. A defense attorney asked Rubio, at the end of his testimony, to autograph an autobiography the attorney had brought to court — one of several surreal moments during the unusual appearance by a sitting cabinet member, an occurrence not seen since the Reagan era.