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This daring getaway of Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado involved a lengthy, “scary” and soaking boat journey in the dead of night, according to the US veteran who says he led the mission.

A Dangerous Nighttime Voyage

Bryan Stern, who leads a nonprofit rescue organisation, detailed the mission in a newly published media appearance. “It was dangerous. It was terrifying,” stated Stern, a US special forces veteran, describing rough and moonless seas 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 harder it is for radar to see,” he remarked.

He recalled rendezvousing with Machado offshore after she left the country, 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 secret location to board a flight, as part of orchestrated just four days earlier. The operation occurred at midnight – 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 endured a grueling passage,” Stern noted.

Regarding her state, he said, “She was very happy. She was very excited. She was exhausted,” and noted about two dozen people were actively participating within his team.

Verification and Concealment

Spokespeople for Machado verified that Stern’s foundation was behind the operation, which began on Tuesday. This report follows previous reporting that Machado wore a wig and a disguise to leave her safe house in a suburb of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

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

Financing and US Role

He stated publicly the endeavor was funded through “several benefactors” – none of whom were US government figures involved. Official US funds were not used, to my knowledge,” 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 American backing to leave Venezuela. She has announced plans to return home, though the specifics remain uncertain the method or timing.

Stern indicated his group would not be involved in that operation, 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. She is a genuine inspiration,” he concluded.