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The audacious escape of Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado entailed a lengthy, “scary” and soaking sea crossing in the pitch black of night, according to the US veteran who claims to have commanded the operation.

The Perilous Nocturnal Voyage

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

“The sea conditions were ideal for us, but not water you'd choose to sail on ... the bigger the swells, the harder it is for radar to see,” Stern said.

He described meeting Machado out at sea after she left the country, where she had been lying low since August 2024 due to fear of targeting by the government of President Nicolás Maduro.

The Step-by-Step Escape Plan

She boarded his boat for a half-day journey to an secret location to board a flight, in a mission planned just days before. “This was in the middle of the night – very little moon, a little bit of cloud cover, very hard to see, boats have no lights. Everyone was quite damp. 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 said, She was elated. She was very excited. She was exhausted,” and noted about two dozen people were actively participating within his team.

Confirmation and Disguise

Spokespeople for Machado confirmed that Stern’s company was behind the operation, which began on Tuesday. This report follows previous reporting that Machado wore a wig and a disguise to flee her safe house in a suburb of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

The veteran declined to share specifics about the land operation, referencing his organization's ongoing operations in the region.

Financing and US Involvement

He stated publicly the mission was financed by “several benefactors” – none of whom were US officials involved. Official US funds were not used, to my knowledge,” Stern said.

He clarified, though, that his group did “unofficially collaborate” 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 depart Venezuela. She has declared her intention to go back, though the specifics remain uncertain the method or timing.

Stern indicated his group would play no part in a return mission, as it focuses exclusively on extracting individuals from countries, not in. “That’s for her to determine for herself. But I think she should not go back. Yet she is determined. She is a genuine inspiration,” he said.