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The audacious getaway of Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado involved a long, frightening and soaking sea crossing in the pitch black of night, according to the US veteran who says he led the operation.

The Dangerous Nocturnal Voyage

Bryan Stern, who leads a rescue nonprofit, outlined the operation in a newly published interview. It was perilous. It was scary,” stated Stern, an ex-special forces operative, recounting rough and moonless seas that simultaneously offered convenient cover for the escape.

“The ocean was perfect for our purposes, but not water you'd choose to sail on ... the higher the waves, the more difficult radar detection becomes,” he remarked.

He recalled meeting Machado out at sea after she left Venezuela, where she had been in hiding since August 2024 due to fear of targeting by the government of President Nicolás Maduro.

A Step-by-Step Extraction

Machado embarked on his boat for a half-day journey to an undisclosed location to catch a plane, as part of orchestrated just four days earlier. “This was in the middle of the night – very little moon, some cloud coverage, extremely low visibility, vessels running dark. All of us were pretty wet. My team and I were soaked to the gills. She was also chilled and wet. She had a very arduous journey,” Stern noted.

Describing her condition, he commented, “She was very happy. She was very excited. She was exhausted,” and noted about twenty-four people were directly involved within his organization.

Confirmation and Disguise

A representative for Machado verified that Stern’s foundation was behind the extraction, which commenced earlier in the week. This report comes after earlier stories that Machado used a wig and costume to leave her safe house in a outskirts of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

The veteran declined to share specifics about the ground segment, citing his company’s future work in the country.

Financing and American Role

He told media the endeavor was financed by “a few generous donors” – none of whom were US government figures involved. “The US government did not contribute a single penny, at least not that I know of,” Stern asserted.

He said, however, that his group did coordinate informally with the American armed forces regarding positioning and plans, largely to avoid being targeted by airstrikes.

Future Plans and Inspiration

Machado said she had American backing to leave Venezuela. She has announced plans to go back, though the specifics remain uncertain how or when.

Stern said his group would play no part in a return mission, as it worked only on getting people out of countries, not bringing them back. “That’s for her to determine and for her to decide. But I think she should not go back. Yet she is determined. She is a genuine inspiration,” he concluded.