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This daring escape of Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado involved a long, “scary” and soaking sea crossing in the pitch black of night, as detailed by the US veteran who says he led the operation.

A Dangerous 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 simultaneously offered convenient cover for the escape.

“The ocean was perfect for our purposes, but certainly not water that you would want to be on ... the higher the waves, the more difficult radar detection becomes,” he remarked.

He described meeting Machado out at sea after she departed from the country, where she had been lying low since August 2024 fearing targeting by the administration of President Nicolás Maduro.

A Step-by-Step Escape Plan

Machado embarked on his boat for a 13- to 14-hour trip to an undisclosed location to board a flight, as part of planned just four days earlier. The operation occurred at midnight – very little moon, some cloud coverage, extremely low visibility, boats have no lights. All of us were pretty wet. My team and I were soaked to the gills. She was also chilled and wet. She had a very arduous journey,” Stern noted.

Regarding her state, he said, She was elated. She was thrilled. She was very tired,” and noted about twenty-four people were directly involved within his team.

Confirmation and Concealment

Spokespeople for Machado confirmed that Stern’s company was responsible for the extraction, which began on Tuesday. This report comes after previous reporting that Machado wore a wig and a disguise to flee her hideout in a outskirts of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

The veteran declined to share details about the land operation, referencing his company’s future work in the country.

Funding and US Involvement

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

He said, however, that his group did coordinate informally with the US military regarding locations and strategy, primarily to prevent being targeted by airstrikes.

Future Plans and Inspiration

The opposition leader stated she had US support to leave Venezuela. She has declared her intention to go back, though it is not clear the method or timing.

Stern said his group would play no part in that operation, as it focuses exclusively on getting people out of countries, not in. “That’s for her to determine and for her to decide. Personally, I advise against returning. Yet she is determined. Maria is truly inspirational,” he concluded.