International intrigue. An assassination plot. Millions of secret dollars. Code names. Secret meetings.
- Venezuela's shadowy dealings with the first Trump administration were laid bare by Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday when he testified against his longtime friend, David Rivera.
- The former Miami congressman is on trial in federal court for allegedly acting as an unregistered foreign agent in a $50 million scheme.
Why it matters: Rivera's trial is a behind-the-scenes glimpse into Venezuela's push to manipulate the U.S. into normalizing relations by throwing around big money and promises for government reforms before Nicolas Maduro established himself as an election-rigging dictator in 2017.
