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This audacious escape of political leader María Corina Machado entailed a lengthy, “scary” and soaking sea crossing in the pitch black of night, according to the US veteran who says he led the operation.

The Perilous Nocturnal Voyage

Bryan Stern, who heads a rescue nonprofit, detailed the operation in a newly published interview. “It was dangerous. It was terrifying,” said Stern, an ex-special forces operative, recounting rough and moonless seas that simultaneously offered convenient cover for the escape.

“The sea conditions were ideal for us, but certainly not water that you would want to be on ... the bigger the swells, the more difficult radar detection becomes,” he remarked.

He recalled rendezvousing with Machado offshore after she departed from Venezuela, where she had been in hiding since August 2024 due to fear of targeting by the administration of President Nicolás Maduro.

The Step-by-Step Extraction

She boarded his boat for a 13- to 14-hour journey to an undisclosed location to catch a plane, as part of orchestrated just days before. “This was in the middle of the night – minimal moonlight, a little bit of cloud cover, extremely low visibility, vessels running dark. Everyone was quite damp. My crew and I were drenched. She was also chilled and wet. She had a very arduous journey,” Stern noted.

Regarding her state, he commented, “She was very happy. She was very excited. She was exhausted,” and noted about two dozen people were directly involved within his team.

Verification and Disguise

Spokespeople 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 safe house in a suburb of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

The veteran declined to share specifics about the land operation, referencing his company’s future work in the region.

Funding and US Involvement

He told media the mission was funded through “several benefactors” – none of whom were US officials involved. Official US funds were not used, at least not that I know of,” Stern asserted.

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

Next Steps and Admiration

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

Stern indicated his group would not be involved in that operation, as it focuses exclusively on getting people out of countries, not in. “She must decide that and for her to decide. Personally, I advise against returning. But she wants to. She is a genuine inspiration,” he concluded.