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The daring getaway of Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado involved a long, “scary” and very wet sea crossing in the pitch black of night, as detailed by the US veteran who claims to have commanded the mission.

The Perilous Nocturnal Voyage

The rescue organizer, who leads a nonprofit rescue organisation, outlined the operation in a recent interview. “It was dangerous. It was terrifying,” stated Stern, a US special forces veteran, recounting rough and moonless seas that also provided convenient cover 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 more difficult radar detection becomes,” Stern said.

He recalled rendezvousing with Machado offshore after she departed from Venezuela, where she had been in hiding for over a year fearing targeting by the administration of President Nicolás Maduro.

The Detailed Extraction

Machado embarked on his boat for a 13- to 14-hour journey to an secret location to catch a plane, in a mission planned just days before. The operation occurred at midnight – very little moon, a little bit of cloud cover, extremely low visibility, boats have no lights. All of us were pretty wet. 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 exhausted,” and noted about two dozen people were actively participating within his team.

Verification and Disguise

A representative for Machado verified that Stern’s company was responsible for the operation, which commenced earlier in the week. This report comes after previous reporting 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 land operation, referencing his organization's ongoing operations in the region.

Financing and American Involvement

He told media the mission was funded through “several benefactors” – with no US government figures involved. Official US funds were not used, to my knowledge,” Stern said.

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

Next Steps and Inspiration

Machado said she had US support to depart Venezuela. She has announced plans to return home, though the specifics remain uncertain how or when.

Stern indicated his group would play no part in a return mission, as it worked only on extracting individuals from countries, not bringing them back. “That’s for her to determine and for her to decide. But I think she should not go back. Yet she is determined. Maria is truly inspirational,” he concluded.