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The audacious getaway of political leader María Corina Machado involved a long, frightening and very wet boat journey in the pitch black of night, according to the American man who claims to have commanded the operation.

A Perilous Nighttime Crossing

Bryan Stern, who leads a rescue nonprofit, detailed the operation in a newly published interview. It was perilous. It was scary,” stated Stern, a US special forces veteran, describing rough and moonless seas that simultaneously offered ideal concealment for the flight.

“The sea conditions were ideal for us, but certainly not water that you would want to be on ... the bigger the swells, the more difficult radar detection becomes,” he remarked.

He described rendezvousing with Machado offshore after she departed from the country, where she had been lying low since August 2024 due to fear of persecution by the government of President Nicolás Maduro.

A Step-by-Step Extraction

Machado embarked on his boat for a 13- to 14-hour trip to an secret location to board a flight, as part of planned just four days earlier. The operation occurred at midnight – minimal moonlight, some cloud coverage, 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 said, She was elated. She was very excited. She was exhausted,” and noted about two dozen people were actively participating within his organization.

Confirmation and Disguise

Spokespeople for Machado confirmed that Stern’s company was responsible for the operation, which commenced earlier in the week. This account follows 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 details about the ground segment, referencing his company’s future work in the region.

Financing and US Involvement

He told media the mission was financed by “several benefactors” – none of whom were US officials 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 positioning and plans, largely to avoid being targeted by airstrikes.

Next Steps and Admiration

Machado said she had American backing to leave Venezuela. She has declared her intention to go back, though it is not clear how or when.

Stern said his group would play no part in that operation, as it focuses exclusively on getting people out of 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.