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This daring getaway of Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado involved a long, frightening and soaking sea crossing in the dead of night, according to the American man who claims to have commanded the operation.

The Dangerous Nighttime Voyage

The rescue organizer, who leads a rescue nonprofit, detailed the operation in a recent interview. It was perilous. It was scary,” stated Stern, a US special forces veteran, recounting rough and moonless seas 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,” he remarked.

He recalled rendezvousing with Machado offshore after she left the country, where she had been in hiding since August 2024 fearing targeting by the government of President Nicolás Maduro.

The 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 orchestrated just days before. The operation occurred at midnight – very little moon, some cloud coverage, 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 endured a grueling passage,” Stern noted.

Regarding her state, he commented, She was elated. She was very excited. She was very tired,” adding that about two dozen people were actively participating within his organization.

Confirmation and Concealment

A representative for Machado confirmed that Stern’s foundation was behind the extraction, which commenced earlier in the week. This report comes after earlier stories 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, citing his company’s future work in the region.

Financing and US Involvement

He told media the mission was financed by “several benefactors” – with no US government figures involved. “The US government did not contribute a single penny, to my knowledge,” Stern said.

He said, however, that his group did “unofficially collaborate” with the American armed forces regarding locations and strategy, primarily to prevent being targeted by airstrikes.

Future Plans and Inspiration

Machado said she had US support to leave Venezuela. She has declared her intention to return home, though the specifics remain uncertain the method or timing.

Stern said his group would play no part in a return mission, as it focuses exclusively on getting people out of countries, not in. “That’s for her to determine for herself. Personally, I advise against returning. Yet she is determined. Maria is truly inspirational,” he concluded.