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The daring getaway of political leader María Corina Machado entailed a long, frightening and very wet sea crossing in the pitch black of night, as detailed by the US veteran who claims to have commanded the mission.

A Dangerous Nocturnal Crossing

Bryan Stern, who leads a nonprofit rescue organisation, outlined the operation in a recent media appearance. “It was dangerous. It was terrifying,” stated Stern, an ex-special forces operative, recounting rough and moonless seas that simultaneously offered ideal concealment 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 harder it is for radar to see,” he remarked.

He recalled rendezvousing with Machado offshore after she departed from Venezuela, where she had been lying low for over a year due to fear of persecution by the government of President Nicolás Maduro.

The Step-by-Step Extraction

She boarded his boat for a half-day journey to an undisclosed location to board a flight, in a mission planned just days before. The operation occurred at midnight – minimal moonlight, some cloud coverage, extremely low visibility, vessels running dark. Everyone was quite damp. My team and I were soaked to the gills. She was pretty cold and wet, too. She had a very arduous journey,” Stern added.

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

Verification and Disguise

A representative for Machado verified that Stern’s foundation was responsible for the operation, which began on Tuesday. This account comes after previous reporting that Machado wore a wig and a disguise to flee her safe house in a suburb of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

Stern did not divulge details about the ground segment, referencing his organization's ongoing operations in the country.

Funding and US Involvement

He told media the endeavor was funded through “a few generous donors” – with no US government figures involved. Official US funds were not used, at least not that I know of,” Stern said.

He said, however, that his group did coordinate informally with the American armed forces regarding locations and strategy, primarily to prevent being mistakenly fired upon.

Future Plans and Admiration

The opposition leader stated she had American backing to depart Venezuela. She has announced plans to return home, though the specifics remain uncertain the method or timing.

Stern said his group would play no part in that operation, as it worked only on extracting individuals from countries, not bringing them back. “That’s for her to determine and for her to decide. Personally, I advise against returning. But she wants to. She is a genuine inspiration,” he said.