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The daring getaway of Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado involved a long, “scary” and soaking sea crossing in the dead of night, as detailed by the American man who claims to have commanded the mission.

The Perilous Nocturnal Voyage

Bryan Stern, who leads a nonprofit rescue organisation, outlined the mission in a newly published interview. It was perilous. It was terrifying,” stated Stern, an ex-special forces operative, describing rough and moonless seas that also provided ideal concealment for the flight.

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

He recalled meeting Machado out at sea after she left the country, where she had been lying low since August 2024 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 secret location to board a flight, as part of orchestrated just four days earlier. The operation occurred at midnight – minimal moonlight, some cloud coverage, extremely low visibility, boats have no lights. All of us were pretty wet. My crew and I were drenched. She was pretty cold and wet, too. She endured a grueling passage,” Stern noted.

Describing her condition, he said, She was elated. She was thrilled. She was very tired,” adding that about two dozen people were directly involved within his team.

Confirmation and Concealment

A representative for Machado verified that Stern’s company was behind the extraction, which commenced earlier in the week. This account follows earlier stories that Machado used a wig and costume to leave her hideout in a outskirts of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

The veteran declined to share specifics about the ground segment, citing his organization's ongoing operations in the country.

Financing and American Involvement

He told media the endeavor was financed by “a few generous donors” – none of whom were US government figures involved. Official US funds were not used, to my knowledge,” Stern asserted.

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

Future Plans and Admiration

Machado said she had American backing to leave Venezuela. She has declared her intention to return home, though the specifics remain uncertain the method or timing.

Stern indicated his group would not be involved in a return mission, as it focuses exclusively on extracting individuals from countries, not bringing them back. “She must decide that for herself. Personally, I advise against returning. Yet she is determined. Maria is truly inspirational,” he concluded.