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This audacious escape of Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado entailed a lengthy, “scary” and very wet boat journey in the dead of night, as detailed by the US veteran who says he led the mission.

The Dangerous Nocturnal Crossing

Bryan Stern, who leads a rescue nonprofit, detailed the mission in a recent media appearance. It was perilous. It was terrifying,” stated Stern, an ex-special forces operative, describing 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,” Stern said.

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

A Detailed Escape Plan

She boarded his boat for a 13- to 14-hour trip to an undisclosed location to board a flight, in a mission planned just four days earlier. “This was in the middle of the night – very little moon, a little bit of cloud cover, extremely low visibility, boats have no lights. 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 very happy. She was very excited. She was very tired,” adding that about twenty-four people were actively participating within his team.

Confirmation and Disguise

Spokespeople for Machado confirmed that Stern’s foundation was responsible for the extraction, which began on Tuesday. This report comes after previous reporting that Machado used a wig and costume to leave her safe house in a outskirts of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

Stern did not divulge details about the land operation, referencing his company’s future work in the region.

Financing and American Role

He told media the endeavor was funded through “a few generous donors” – with no US officials 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 mistakenly fired upon.

Future Plans and Admiration

The opposition leader stated she had US support to depart Venezuela. She has declared her intention to return home, though the specifics remain uncertain the method or timing.

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. Personally, I advise against returning. Yet she is determined. Maria is truly inspirational,” he said.