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The daring getaway of Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado involved a lengthy, “scary” and very wet sea crossing in the dead of night, as detailed by the American man who says he led the operation.

The Perilous Nighttime Voyage

Bryan Stern, who heads a nonprofit rescue organisation, detailed the mission in a newly published media appearance. It was perilous. It was terrifying,” said Stern, a US special forces veteran, recounting dark and choppy conditions that simultaneously offered ideal concealment for the escape.

“The ocean was perfect for our purposes, but certainly not water that you would want to be on ... the bigger the swells, the more difficult radar detection becomes,” Stern said.

He recalled rendezvousing with Machado offshore after she departed from Venezuela, where she had been in hiding since August 2024 fearing persecution by the government of President Nicolás Maduro.

The Step-by-Step Extraction

Machado embarked on his boat for a half-day trip to an undisclosed location to catch a plane, in a mission planned just days before. The operation occurred at midnight – minimal moonlight, a little bit of cloud cover, extremely low visibility, vessels running dark. All of us were pretty wet. My crew and I were drenched. She was pretty cold and wet, too. She endured a grueling passage,” Stern added.

Describing her condition, he said, She was elated. She was thrilled. She was very tired,” adding that about two dozen people were actively participating within his team.

Confirmation and Concealment

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

Stern did not divulge specifics about the ground segment, referencing his company’s future work in the region.

Funding and US Involvement

He told media the endeavor was financed by “a few generous donors” – none of whom were US officials involved. Official US funds were not used, to my knowledge,” Stern asserted.

He clarified, though, that his group did coordinate informally with the US military regarding locations and strategy, primarily to prevent being targeted by airstrikes.

Future Plans and Admiration

Machado said she had American backing to depart Venezuela. She has announced plans to return home, though the specifics remain uncertain the method or timing.

Stern said his group would play no part in that operation, as it worked only on getting people out of countries, not in. “She must decide that for herself. But I think she should not go back. Yet she is determined. She is a genuine inspiration,” he concluded.