 In 2010, Rivera was appointed Minister of National Defence of Colombia by President Juan Manuel Santos Calderón and served until his resignation the following year.Fresh out of College, he was elected Councilman to the Pereira City Council at the age of 20 and served on it until 1989, during this time he also worked as Professor of Constitutional Law at his "alma mater", the Free University of Pereira, and wrote as a columnist for the nationally syndicated newspaper of "El Espectador", and the local newspaper "La Tarde".In 1997 he was recognized by the Junior Chamber International as an Outstanding Young Persons of the World for his work as President of the Chamber of Representatives during the impeachment trial against President Ernesto Samper Pizano.