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The daring getaway of political leader María Corina Machado involved a lengthy, “scary” and soaking sea crossing in the dead of night, as detailed by the American man who claims to have commanded the operation.

A Perilous Nocturnal Voyage

Bryan Stern, who leads a rescue nonprofit, outlined the operation in a newly published interview. “It was dangerous. It was scary,” said Stern, an ex-special forces operative, recounting dark and choppy conditions that simultaneously offered convenient cover for the escape.

“The ocean was perfect for our purposes, but not water you'd choose to sail on ... the bigger the swells, the harder it is for radar to see,” he remarked.

He described rendezvousing with Machado offshore after she left Venezuela, where she had been lying low since August 2024 fearing targeting 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, in a mission orchestrated just four days earlier. “This was in the middle of the night – minimal moonlight, some cloud coverage, extremely low visibility, vessels running dark. Everyone was quite damp. My team and I were soaked to the gills. She was also chilled and wet. She had a very arduous journey,” Stern added.

Regarding her state, he commented, “She was very happy. She was thrilled. She was very tired,” adding that about two dozen people were directly involved within his team.

Verification and Concealment

Spokespeople for Machado confirmed that Stern’s company was behind the operation, which began on Tuesday. This account follows earlier stories that Machado used a wig and costume to flee her hideout in a outskirts of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

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

Funding and American Involvement

He told media the endeavor was financed by “a few generous donors” – none of whom were 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 US military regarding locations and strategy, largely to avoid being targeted by airstrikes.

Future Plans and Admiration

The opposition leader stated she had US support to depart Venezuela. She has announced plans to go back, though the specifics remain uncertain how or when.

Stern indicated his group would play no part in that operation, as it worked only on extracting individuals from countries, not bringing them back. “She must decide that for herself. But I think she should not go back. Yet she is determined. She is a genuine inspiration,” he concluded.