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This audacious getaway of political leader María Corina Machado involved a long, frightening and very wet sea crossing in the pitch black of night, according to the US veteran who says he led the mission.

A Perilous Nighttime Crossing

Bryan Stern, who leads a rescue nonprofit, detailed the operation in a recent media appearance. It was perilous. It was scary,” stated Stern, a US special forces veteran, describing rough and moonless seas that simultaneously offered convenient cover for the escape.

“The sea conditions were ideal for us, but certainly not water that you would want to be on ... the bigger the swells, the more difficult radar detection becomes,” he remarked.

He recalled meeting Machado out at sea after she left Venezuela, where she had been lying low for over a year fearing persecution by the administration of President Nicolás Maduro.

A Detailed Escape Plan

Machado embarked on his boat for a half-day trip to an undisclosed location to catch a plane, as part of planned just days before. “This was in the middle of the night – very little moon, some cloud coverage, very hard to see, vessels running dark. All of us were pretty wet. My crew and I were drenched. She was also chilled and wet. She had a very arduous journey,” Stern noted.

Regarding her state, he commented, “She was very happy. She was thrilled. She was very tired,” and noted about twenty-four people were directly involved within his organization.

Confirmation and Disguise

Spokespeople for Machado confirmed that Stern’s foundation was responsible for the extraction, which commenced earlier in the week. This account follows earlier stories that Machado wore a wig and a disguise to flee her safe house in a suburb of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

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

Financing and US Role

He stated publicly the endeavor was funded through “a few generous donors” – none of whom were US officials involved. Official US funds were not used, at least not that I know of,” Stern said.

He said, however, that his group did “unofficially collaborate” with the American armed forces regarding positioning and plans, largely to avoid being mistakenly fired upon.

Next Steps and Inspiration

The opposition leader stated she had US support to depart Venezuela. She has declared her intention to go back, though the specifics remain uncertain how or when.

Stern said his group would not be involved in a return mission, as it focuses exclusively on extracting individuals from countries, not in. “That’s for her to determine and for her to decide. But I think she should not go back. Yet she is determined. Maria is truly inspirational,” he concluded.