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The daring escape of Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado involved a lengthy, frightening and very wet sea crossing in the pitch black of night, according to the US veteran who claims to have commanded the mission.

A Perilous Nighttime Crossing

Bryan Stern, who heads a nonprofit rescue organisation, outlined the operation in a newly published interview. It was perilous. It was terrifying,” said Stern, an ex-special forces operative, recounting rough and moonless seas that simultaneously offered 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 more difficult radar detection becomes,” he remarked.

He recalled meeting Machado out at sea after she left Venezuela, where she had been lying low for over a year due to fear of persecution by the government of President Nicolás Maduro.

The Step-by-Step Extraction

She boarded his boat for a half-day trip to an undisclosed location to catch a plane, in a mission orchestrated just days before. The operation occurred at midnight – minimal moonlight, some cloud coverage, extremely low visibility, vessels running dark. Everyone was quite damp. My crew and I were drenched. She was pretty cold and wet, too. She had a very arduous journey,” Stern noted.

Describing her condition, he said, “She was very happy. She was thrilled. She was exhausted,” adding that about twenty-four people were directly involved within his team.

Verification and Concealment

A representative for Machado verified that Stern’s foundation was responsible for the extraction, which began on Tuesday. This account comes after previous reporting that Machado used a wig and costume to leave her safe house in a suburb of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

The veteran declined to share details about the ground segment, referencing his company’s future work in the region.

Financing and US Role

He stated publicly the mission was financed by “a few generous donors” – with no US government figures involved. “The US government did not contribute a single penny, at least not that I know of,” Stern said.

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

Next Steps and Inspiration

Machado said she had American backing to leave Venezuela. She has declared her intention to go back, though it is not clear how or when.

Stern indicated his group would play no part in a return mission, as it worked only 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. Yet she is determined. Maria is truly inspirational,” he concluded.