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The audacious escape of Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado involved a long, “scary” and very wet sea crossing in the dead of night, as detailed by the American man who claims to have commanded the mission.

The Perilous Nocturnal Crossing

The rescue organizer, who leads a nonprofit rescue organisation, outlined the mission in a newly published 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 escape.

“The sea conditions were ideal for us, but not water you'd choose to sail on ... the higher the waves, the more difficult radar detection becomes,” Stern said.

He described meeting Machado out at sea after she departed from the country, where she had been in hiding since August 2024 due to fear of persecution by the administration of President Nicolás Maduro.

A Detailed Escape Plan

Machado embarked on his boat for a half-day trip to an secret location to catch a plane, as part of orchestrated just days before. The operation occurred at midnight – minimal moonlight, a little bit of cloud cover, extremely low visibility, boats have no lights. All of us were pretty wet. My team and I were soaked to the gills. She was also chilled and wet. She had a very arduous journey,” Stern added.

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

Verification and Disguise

Spokespeople for Machado verified that Stern’s company was behind the operation, which commenced earlier in the week. This report comes after earlier stories that Machado wore a wig and a disguise to flee her safe house in a outskirts of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

The veteran declined to share details about the land operation, referencing his company’s future work in the region.

Financing and US Role

He stated publicly the mission was financed by “a few generous donors” – with no US officials 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 US military regarding locations and strategy, primarily to prevent being targeted by airstrikes.

Next Steps and Admiration

The opposition leader stated she had American backing to depart Venezuela. She has declared her intention to return home, though it is not clear the method or timing.

Stern indicated his group would not be involved in that operation, as it focuses exclusively on extracting individuals from countries, not bringing them back. “That’s for her to determine and for her to decide. Personally, I advise against returning. But she wants to. She is a genuine inspiration,” he concluded.