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This daring escape of political leader María Corina Machado entailed a lengthy, frightening and soaking sea crossing in the dead of night, as detailed by the American man who says he led the mission.

A Perilous Nighttime Crossing

The rescue organizer, who heads a rescue nonprofit, detailed the mission in a newly published interview. “It was dangerous. It was terrifying,” stated Stern, an ex-special forces operative, recounting dark and choppy conditions 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,” Stern said.

He recalled meeting Machado out at sea after she departed from Venezuela, where she had been in hiding for over a year fearing persecution by the government of President Nicolás Maduro.

A Step-by-Step Escape Plan

Machado embarked on 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, boats have no lights. Everyone was quite damp. My team and I were soaked to the gills. She was also chilled and wet. She endured a grueling passage,” Stern noted.

Describing her condition, he said, “She was very happy. She was thrilled. She was exhausted,” and noted about two dozen people were directly involved within his organization.

Confirmation and Concealment

A representative for Machado confirmed that Stern’s company was responsible for the operation, which began on Tuesday. This report follows earlier stories that Machado wore a wig and a disguise to flee her hideout in a suburb of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

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

Funding and US Role

He stated publicly the endeavor was funded through “several benefactors” – none of whom were US government figures involved. Official US funds were not used, to my knowledge,” Stern asserted.

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

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

Stern indicated his group would not be involved in a return mission, as it focuses exclusively on extracting individuals from countries, not in. “That’s for her to determine and for her to decide. Personally, I advise against returning. But she wants to. Maria is truly inspirational,” he said.