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The audacious getaway of Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado involved a lengthy, frightening and soaking boat journey in the dead of night, as detailed by the American man who says he led the operation.

A Dangerous Nighttime Crossing

The rescue organizer, who leads a rescue nonprofit, outlined the mission in a newly published media appearance. “It was dangerous. It was scary,” said Stern, a US special forces veteran, describing dark and choppy conditions that simultaneously offered ideal concealment 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 harder it is for radar to see,” Stern said.

He described meeting Machado out at sea after she departed from Venezuela, where she had been in hiding for over a year due to fear of persecution by the administration of President Nicolás Maduro.

The Detailed Extraction

She boarded his boat for a half-day trip to an secret location to board a flight, 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. Everyone was quite damp. My crew and I were drenched. She was also chilled and wet. She had a very arduous journey,” Stern added.

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

Confirmation and Disguise

A representative for Machado verified that Stern’s foundation was responsible for the operation, which commenced earlier in the week. This account comes after earlier stories that Machado wore a wig and a disguise to leave her safe house in a suburb of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

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

Financing and American Involvement

He stated publicly the endeavor was funded through “several benefactors” – none of whom were 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 US military regarding locations and strategy, primarily to prevent being targeted by airstrikes.

Future Plans and Inspiration

The opposition leader stated she had American backing to leave Venezuela. She has announced plans to go back, though it is not clear how or when.

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 for herself. But I think she should not go back. Yet she is determined. Maria is truly inspirational,” he concluded.