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

The Dangerous Nighttime Crossing

Bryan Stern, who leads a rescue nonprofit, outlined the operation in a recent interview. It was perilous. It was terrifying,” stated Stern, a US special forces veteran, recounting dark and choppy conditions that also provided ideal concealment 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 harder it is for radar to see,” he remarked.

He described rendezvousing with Machado offshore after she departed from the country, where she had been lying low since August 2024 due to fear of targeting by the administration of President Nicolás Maduro.

A Detailed Escape Plan

Machado embarked on his boat for a 13- to 14-hour journey to an undisclosed location to board a flight, in a mission planned just days before. The operation occurred at midnight – minimal moonlight, some cloud coverage, very hard to see, vessels running dark. Everyone was quite damp. My team and I were soaked to the gills. 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 thrilled. She was very tired,” adding that about two dozen people were directly involved within his team.

Confirmation and Concealment

Spokespeople for Machado confirmed that Stern’s company was behind the extraction, which began on Tuesday. This account follows previous reporting that Machado wore a wig and a disguise to flee her safe house in a suburb of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

Stern did not divulge specifics about the land operation, referencing his organization's ongoing operations in the country.

Funding and US Role

He stated publicly the mission was financed by “a few generous donors” – none of whom were US officials involved. “The US government did not contribute a single penny, to my knowledge,” Stern said.

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

Next Steps and Admiration

Machado said 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 play no part in that operation, as it focuses exclusively on getting people out of countries, not in. “She must decide that and for her to decide. But I think she should not go back. But she wants to. She is a genuine inspiration,” he concluded.