“The conditions allowing for the safe return of Ms. Machado to Venezuela is the direct result of the U.S. supported reconciliation talks which has already seen hundreds of political prisoners freed and hundreds of political opposition figures return from exile.”

U.S. State Department statements confirm more than 1,000 political prisoners released since January 3, 2026, so 'hundreds' is accurate, but reports document only a dozen or so high-profile opposition figures returning from exile, not hundreds. Machado's return was coordinated directly with U.S., Panamanian, and Colombian governments (with U.S. security contractors), and her political faction is not participating in the reconciliation talks.