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The daring getaway of political leader María Corina Machado involved a long, “scary” and very wet boat journey in the dead of night, as detailed by the US veteran who says he led the operation.

A Dangerous Nocturnal Crossing

Bryan Stern, who heads a nonprofit rescue organisation, detailed the operation in a recent interview. It was perilous. It was terrifying,” stated Stern, a US special forces veteran, describing dark and choppy conditions that also provided ideal concealment for the flight.

“The sea conditions were ideal for us, but certainly not water that you would want to be 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 persecution by the administration of President Nicolás Maduro.

The Detailed Extraction

She boarded his boat for a half-day trip to an secret location to catch a plane, as part of orchestrated just days before. The operation occurred at midnight – very little moon, a little bit of cloud cover, very hard to see, vessels running dark. Everyone was quite damp. My team and I were soaked to the gills. She was pretty cold and wet, too. She had a very arduous journey,” Stern noted.

Describing her condition, he commented, She was elated. She was very excited. She was exhausted,” and noted about twenty-four people were actively participating within his team.

Confirmation and Concealment

Spokespeople for Machado confirmed that Stern’s company was behind the operation, which commenced earlier in the week. This report follows previous reporting that Machado used a wig and costume to flee her hideout in a outskirts of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

The veteran declined to share details about the land operation, citing his organization's ongoing operations in the region.

Financing and US Involvement

He told media the endeavor was financed by “a few generous donors” – with no US officials involved. Official US funds were not used, at least not that I know of,” Stern asserted.

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

Next Steps and Inspiration

The opposition leader stated she had American backing to leave Venezuela. She has declared her intention to return home, though it is not clear how or when.

Stern said his group would play no part in a return mission, as it focuses exclusively on getting people out of countries, not in. “She must decide that and for her to decide. But I think she should not go back. Yet she is determined. She is a genuine inspiration,” he said.