Ex-US Congressman David Rivera Sentenced to 10 Years for Secret Venezuela Lobbying

In October 2026, former US congressman David Rivera was sentenced to 10 years in prison for secretly lobbying for Venezuela. Rivera, a longtime friend of Senator Marco Rubio, had been convicted of acting as an unregistered foreign agent. The case involved undisclosed lobbying efforts on behalf of the Venezuelan government. Separately, Democrats demanded a Venezuela briefing, but senators left town without answers, drawing State Department frustration.