Former Miami Congressman David Rivera was convicted Friday alongside his associate Esther Nuhfer for their roles in a clandestine $50 million lobbying campaign aimed at influencing U.S. policy toward Venezuela during the first Trump administration.
Key Takeaways
Former Miami Congressman David Rivera was convicted alongside his associate Esther Nuhfer for their roles in a secret $50 million lobbying campaign aimed at influencing U.S. policy toward Venezuela during the first Trump administration. The seven-week trial revealed that Rivera and Nuhfer were found guilty on all counts, including failing to register as foreign agents and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
The seven-week trial revealed that Rivera, a longtime friend of Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Nuhfer were found guilty on all counts including failing to register as foreign agents with the Justice Department and conspiracy to commit money laundering in connection with their work for former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro's government.
Testimony from key figures such as Rubio, Texas Congressman Pete Sessions, and a top Washington lobbyist highlighted Rivera's secret consulting contract with PDVSA, Venezuela’s state oil company. Prosecutors alleged that Rivera used this connection to manipulate influential friends in an attempt to normalize relations between the U.S. and Maduro's government.
The trial also offered a rare glimpse into Miami’s role as a crossroads for foreign influence campaigns aimed at shaping U.S. policy toward Latin America, highlighting the city’s reputation as a magnet for corruption and anti-Communist crusaders among its sizable exile population.
Rivera's defense team argued that he acted in good faith, believing his work was exempt from disclosure under the Foreign Agents Registration Act as it focused on luring ExxonMobil back to Venezuela. They also claimed Rivera’s meetings with Rubio and Sessions were aimed at promoting leadership changes in Venezuela rather than normalizing relations.
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