Secretary of State Rubio to Testify in Former Roommate's Venezuela Foreign Agent Trial

Secretary of State Marco Rubio is scheduled to testify Tuesday in the federal trial of former congressman David Rivera, charged with secretly lobbying for Venezuela's Maduro government during the first Trump administration. Prosecutors allege Rivera secured a $50 million contract from state oil company PDVSA and leveraged Republican connections to soften White House policy toward Caracas. This marks the first sitting Cabinet member to testify in a criminal trial since 1983. The conspirators allegedly used encrypted communications with code names — Maduro was 'bus driver,' Rep. Pete Sessions was 'Sombrero,' and millions of dollars were 'melons.' The case involves FARA violations, foreign government influence operations targeting senior U.S. officials, and the current Secretary of State's proximity to an alleged foreign intelligence recruitment effort.