A recent indictment from a federal grand jury in Washington has placed former Congressman David Rivera under scrutiny for allegedly failing to register as a foreign agent of Raúl Gorrín, a sanctioned Venezuelan media tycoon. The indictment reveals that Rivera lobbied U.S. government officials, including a high-ranking executive branch official, between June 2019 and April 2020 to have sanctions against Gorrín lifted. This marks the second wave of criminal charges directed at Rivera, following earlier allegations regarding his dealings with Gorrín, who has faced bribery charges in connection to corrupt practices under Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro. The Justice Department claims Rivera’s lobbying efforts were funded through over $5.5 million he either directly received or was connected to by Gorrín.
According to the indictment, Rivera allegedly colluded with an unnamed former U.S. official, to whom he paid $125,000 for assistance in these lobbying efforts. To mask these activities, Rivera is accused of creating fake shell companies in Delaware that falsely appeared legitimate, associating them with the unnamed official’s name and hometown without the official’s knowledge. The charges against Rivera include money laundering and failing to comply with the Foreign Agents Registration Act, which mandates that individuals lobbying on behalf of foreign entities disclose their activities.
Rivera has previously faced legal challenges, having been arrested in 2022 in a separate illegal lobbying case related to a $50 million consulting contract with PDVSA, Venezuela’s state-run oil company. This contract was allegedly a cover for a covert initiative by Maduro’s government aimed at influencing the incoming Trump administration. During this time, Rivera gained some notoriety for orchestrating a meeting between Gorrín and then-Vice President Mike Pence at a Florida event, even as Trump’s administration was imposing strict sanctions against Venezuela, recognizing opposition leader Juan Guaidó as the legitimate head of state.
The complications of Rivera’s lobbying efforts extended to attempts to set up meetings involving other U.S. lawmakers, including Rep. Pete Sessions from Texas, which aimed to facilitate discussions between Venezuela’s foreign officials and Exxon executives who were located in Sessions’ district. Rivera’s entanglements with prominent political figures reflected a wider attempt by Gorrín and Rivera to leverage relationships within the U.S. government, even as the political landscape shifted aggressively against Maduro’s regime.
Adding to his political intrigue, Rivera’s tenure in Congress was marred with controversial activities, including orchestrating unknown funding for a rival candidate during a congressional race and an investigation into a potentially illicit $1 million contract with a gambling company. Rivera has unequivocally denied any wrongdoing, particularly regarding illegal lobbying activities centered on Venezuelan interests, and has pursued legal action against opponents of Maduro in federal court.
Despite the numerous allegations and legal challenges surrounding him, Rivera has remained a polarizing figure in Florida politics. His ongoing legal battles and questionable dealings highlight the complexities of international lobbying and the intertwining of personal advantage with broader geopolitical issues. As the judicial process unfolds, Rivera’s previous congressional career and current circumstances continue to draw attention to the intricate relations that exist between foreign governments, lobbyists, and U.S. political figures amidst a backdrop of economic and political turmoil in Venezuela.