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This daring getaway of Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado involved a lengthy, frightening and very wet boat journey in the pitch black of night, as detailed by the US veteran who claims to have commanded the operation.

The Dangerous Nocturnal Voyage

Bryan Stern, who heads a rescue nonprofit, detailed the mission in a newly published media appearance. It was perilous. It was terrifying,” said Stern, a US special forces veteran, recounting rough and moonless seas that also provided ideal concealment for the flight.

“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,” he remarked.

He described meeting Machado out at sea after she left Venezuela, where she had been lying low since August 2024 fearing persecution by the government of President Nicolás Maduro.

The Step-by-Step Escape Plan

She boarded his boat for a 13- to 14-hour journey to an undisclosed location to catch a plane, as part of orchestrated just four days earlier. The operation occurred at midnight – minimal moonlight, some cloud coverage, very hard to see, vessels running dark. Everyone was quite damp. My crew and I were drenched. She was pretty cold and wet, too. She endured a grueling passage,” Stern added.

Describing her condition, he commented, “She was very happy. She was very excited. She was very tired,” adding that about twenty-four people were directly involved within his organization.

Confirmation and Disguise

A representative for Machado verified that Stern’s foundation was behind the extraction, 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 outskirts of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

Stern did not divulge specifics about the land operation, citing his company’s future work in the region.

Funding and American Involvement

He stated publicly the endeavor was financed by “several benefactors” – none of whom were US officials involved. “The US government did not contribute a single penny, at least not that I know of,” Stern said.

He clarified, though, that his group did coordinate informally with the US military regarding locations and strategy, largely to avoid being targeted by airstrikes.

Next Steps and Inspiration

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

Stern said his group would not be involved in a return mission, as it worked only on extracting individuals from countries, not bringing them back. “That’s for her to determine for herself. Personally, I advise against returning. Yet she is determined. She is a genuine inspiration,” he said.