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This audacious escape of political leader María Corina Machado entailed a lengthy, frightening and soaking boat journey in the pitch black of night, according to the US veteran who claims to have commanded the operation.

The Perilous Nighttime Voyage

Bryan Stern, who leads a rescue nonprofit, detailed the operation in a newly published interview. “It was dangerous. It was terrifying,” stated Stern, an ex-special forces operative, describing dark and choppy conditions 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,” he remarked.

He recalled meeting Machado out at sea after she left Venezuela, where she had been lying low since August 2024 due to fear of persecution by the administration of President Nicolás Maduro.

A Step-by-Step Escape Plan

She boarded his boat for a 13- to 14-hour trip to an secret location to board a flight, as part of planned just days before. The operation occurred at midnight – very little moon, some cloud coverage, 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 said, “She was very happy. She was very excited. She was very tired,” and noted about twenty-four people were actively participating within his team.

Confirmation and Concealment

A representative for Machado confirmed that Stern’s company was responsible for the extraction, which commenced earlier in the week. This account follows earlier stories that Machado used a wig and costume to flee her safe house in a outskirts of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

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

Funding and US Involvement

He stated publicly the mission was financed by “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 asserted.

He clarified, though, that his group did “unofficially collaborate” with the US military regarding positioning and plans, primarily to prevent being mistakenly fired upon.

Next Steps and Admiration

The opposition leader stated she had American backing to depart Venezuela. She has announced plans to return home, though the specifics remain uncertain the method or timing.

Stern said his group would not be involved in that operation, as it worked only on getting people out of countries, not bringing them back. “She must decide that for herself. But I think she should not go back. Yet she is determined. She is a genuine inspiration,” he concluded.