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The audacious escape of Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado entailed a lengthy, frightening and soaking sea crossing in the pitch black of night, according to the US veteran who says he led the operation.

A Dangerous Nighttime Voyage

Bryan Stern, who heads a rescue nonprofit, detailed the operation in a newly published interview. It was perilous. It was scary,” stated Stern, an ex-special forces operative, describing dark and choppy conditions that also provided ideal concealment for the escape.

“The sea conditions were ideal for us, but not water you'd choose to sail on ... the higher the waves, the more difficult radar detection becomes,” Stern said.

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

The Detailed Escape Plan

Machado embarked on his boat for a half-day journey to an undisclosed location to board a flight, in a mission orchestrated just four days earlier. The operation occurred at midnight – very little moon, some cloud coverage, extremely low visibility, boats have no lights. Everyone was quite damp. My team and I were soaked to the gills. She was pretty cold and wet, too. She had a very arduous journey,” Stern added.

Regarding her state, he commented, “She was very happy. She was very excited. She was very tired,” and noted about twenty-four people were actively participating within his team.

Verification and Concealment

A representative for Machado verified that Stern’s company was behind the extraction, which commenced earlier in the week. This report comes after previous reporting that Machado used a wig and costume to flee her safe house in a suburb of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

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

Financing and US Role

He stated publicly the mission was funded through “a few generous donors” – with no US officials involved. “The US government did not contribute a single penny, to my knowledge,” Stern asserted.

He clarified, though, that his group did coordinate informally with the American armed forces regarding locations and strategy, largely to avoid being mistakenly fired upon.

Future Plans and Inspiration

Machado said she had US support to leave Venezuela. She has announced plans to go back, though the specifics remain uncertain the method or timing.

Stern said his group would play no part in a return mission, as it worked only on getting people out of countries, not in. “That’s for her to determine and for her to decide. Personally, I advise against returning. But she wants to. Maria is truly inspirational,” he concluded.