The ruling states that Machado, founder of the Vente Venezuela political organization was a participant in the “corruption plot orchestrated by the usurper Juan Guaidó,” leader of the Popular Will party (VP) who, supported by the United States and a handful of Western countries, proclaimed himself “president of Venezuela” back in 2019, despite never running for the position nor, evidently, receiving any votes
On December 20th, the governments of Venezuelan and the US realised a prisoner exchange, as part of a broader effort to normalise relations and produce democratic guarantees for elections in 2024.
The United States released an ally of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in exchange for 10 American detainees and a fugitive dubbed "Fat Leonard" in a sweeping prisoner swap deal between the rival governments on Wednesday.