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The audacious getaway of Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado involved a long, “scary” and very wet sea crossing in the pitch black of night, as detailed by the US veteran who claims to have commanded the operation.

The Dangerous Nocturnal Voyage

The rescue organizer, who leads a rescue nonprofit, outlined the mission in a recent interview. “It was dangerous. It was scary,” stated Stern, an ex-special forces operative, recounting dark and choppy conditions that also provided ideal concealment for the flight.

“The ocean was perfect for our purposes, but certainly not water that you would want to be on ... the higher the waves, the more difficult radar detection becomes,” Stern said.

He described rendezvousing with Machado offshore after she departed from Venezuela, where she had been lying low since August 2024 fearing targeting by the government of President Nicolás Maduro.

A Step-by-Step Extraction

Machado embarked on his boat for a half-day journey to an undisclosed location to catch a plane, in a mission orchestrated just four days earlier. “This was in the middle of the night – minimal moonlight, some cloud coverage, very hard to see, vessels running dark. All of us were pretty wet. My crew and I were drenched. She was pretty cold and wet, too. She had a very arduous journey,” Stern noted.

Describing her condition, he commented, She was elated. She was thrilled. She was exhausted,” and noted about two dozen people were directly involved within his team.

Confirmation and Disguise

A representative for Machado verified that Stern’s foundation was behind the operation, which began on Tuesday. This report comes after previous reporting that Machado used a wig and costume to leave her hideout in a suburb of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

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

Financing and US Involvement

He stated publicly the mission was financed by “a few generous donors” – none of whom were US officials involved. Official US funds were not used, to my knowledge,” Stern asserted.

He said, however, that his group did “unofficially collaborate” with the US military regarding positioning and plans, largely to avoid being mistakenly fired upon.

Future Plans and Admiration

Machado said she had US support to depart Venezuela. She has announced plans to return home, though it is not clear how or when.

Stern indicated his group would play no part in that operation, as it focuses exclusively on extracting individuals from countries, not in. “She must decide that and for her to decide. But I think she should not go back. Yet she is determined. Maria is truly inspirational,” he concluded.