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This audacious escape of political leader María Corina Machado entailed a lengthy, “scary” and soaking boat journey in the pitch black of night, as detailed by the US veteran who says he led the operation.

The Dangerous Nighttime Crossing

The rescue organizer, who leads a nonprofit rescue organisation, detailed the operation in a recent interview. “It was dangerous. It was terrifying,” stated Stern, an ex-special forces operative, describing dark and choppy conditions that also provided ideal concealment for the escape.

“The ocean was perfect for our purposes, but not water you'd choose to sail on ... the bigger the swells, the harder it is for radar to see,” he remarked.

He recalled meeting Machado out at sea after she left the country, where she had been in hiding since August 2024 due to fear of persecution by the government of President Nicolás Maduro.

The Step-by-Step Escape Plan

She boarded his boat for a half-day journey to an secret location to board a flight, as part of orchestrated just four days earlier. “This was in the middle of the night – very little moon, a little bit of cloud cover, extremely low visibility, boats have no lights. 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.

Regarding her state, he said, “She was very happy. She was thrilled. She was exhausted,” adding that about two dozen people were directly involved within his team.

Confirmation and Disguise

A representative for Machado confirmed that Stern’s company was behind the extraction, which commenced earlier in the week. This account follows previous reporting that Machado wore a wig and a disguise to flee her hideout in a outskirts of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

Stern did not divulge details about the ground segment, citing his company’s future work in the country.

Financing and American Role

He stated publicly the endeavor 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 clarified, though, that his group did coordinate informally with the American armed forces regarding positioning and plans, largely to avoid being mistakenly fired upon.

Future Plans and Admiration

The opposition leader stated she had US support to leave Venezuela. She has declared her intention to return home, though it is not clear how or when.

Stern said his group would not be involved in that operation, as it focuses exclusively 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 said.