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This daring getaway of Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado involved a long, frightening and soaking boat journey in the dead of night, as detailed by the American man who says he led the operation.

A Perilous Nighttime Crossing

Bryan Stern, who heads a rescue nonprofit, outlined the mission in a newly published interview. “It was dangerous. It was scary,” stated Stern, an ex-special forces operative, describing rough and moonless seas that also provided convenient cover for the flight.

“The ocean was perfect for our purposes, but not water you'd choose to sail on ... the higher the waves, the harder it is for radar to see,” Stern said.

He recalled rendezvousing with Machado offshore after she left Venezuela, where she had been in hiding since August 2024 due to fear of targeting by the government of President Nicolás Maduro.

A Step-by-Step Extraction

Machado embarked on his boat for a 13- to 14-hour journey to an secret location to catch a plane, in a mission planned just four days earlier. The operation occurred at midnight – minimal moonlight, a little bit of cloud cover, extremely low visibility, boats have no lights. Everyone was quite damp. My crew and I were drenched. She was also chilled and wet. 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 two dozen people were directly involved within his team.

Verification and Concealment

A representative for Machado confirmed that Stern’s foundation was responsible for the operation, which commenced earlier in the week. This report comes after earlier stories that Machado wore a wig and a disguise to leave her hideout in a suburb of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

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

Funding and US Involvement

He told media the endeavor was financed by “a few generous donors” – 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 Inspiration

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

Stern said his group would not be involved 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.