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This audacious getaway of Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado involved a lengthy, “scary” and very wet sea crossing in the dead of night, as detailed by the US veteran who says he led the mission.

A Perilous Nocturnal Crossing

The rescue organizer, who heads a nonprofit rescue organisation, outlined the mission in a recent interview. It was perilous. It was terrifying,” said Stern, an ex-special forces operative, describing rough and moonless seas 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 more difficult radar detection becomes,” Stern said.

He recalled meeting Machado out at sea after she departed from Venezuela, where she had been lying low since August 2024 fearing targeting by the administration of President Nicolás Maduro.

A Detailed Escape Plan

Machado embarked on his boat for a 13- to 14-hour journey to an secret location to board a flight, in a mission orchestrated just four days earlier. “This was in the middle of the night – minimal moonlight, a little bit of cloud cover, 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 had a very arduous journey,” Stern added.

Regarding her state, he commented, She was elated. She was thrilled. She was exhausted,” and noted about two dozen people were actively participating within his organization.

Confirmation and Concealment

A representative for Machado confirmed that Stern’s company was responsible for the extraction, which commenced earlier in the week. This report follows earlier stories that Machado wore a wig and a disguise to leave her hideout in a outskirts of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

The veteran declined to share details about the ground segment, citing his company’s future work in the region.

Funding and American Involvement

He stated publicly the mission was funded through “a few generous donors” – with no US government figures involved. “The US government did not contribute a single penny, to my knowledge,” Stern asserted.

He said, however, that his group did coordinate informally with the American armed forces regarding positioning and plans, largely to avoid being mistakenly fired upon.

Future Plans and Inspiration

The opposition leader stated she had US support to leave Venezuela. She has announced plans to return home, 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 bringing them back. “That’s for her to determine and for her to decide. But I think she should not go back. But she wants to. She is a genuine inspiration,” he concluded.