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This daring escape of Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado involved a lengthy, “scary” and soaking boat journey in the dead of night, as detailed by the American man who claims to have commanded the mission.

A Dangerous Nighttime Voyage

Bryan Stern, who leads a rescue nonprofit, detailed the operation in a recent media appearance. It was perilous. It was terrifying,” 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 bigger the swells, the more difficult radar detection becomes,” he remarked.

He described meeting Machado out at sea after she left the country, where she had been lying low for over a year fearing persecution by the administration of President Nicolás Maduro.

A Step-by-Step Escape Plan

Machado embarked on his boat for a half-day journey to an secret location to catch a plane, as part of planned just days before. “This was in the middle of the night – minimal moonlight, a little bit of cloud cover, very hard to see, vessels running dark. 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 added.

Regarding her state, he said, “She was very happy. She was thrilled. She was very tired,” adding that about twenty-four people were directly involved within his team.

Verification and Disguise

Spokespeople for Machado confirmed that Stern’s company was responsible for the operation, which commenced earlier in the week. This report follows earlier stories that Machado used a wig and costume to leave her safe house 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.

Financing and US Involvement

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

He clarified, though, that his group did coordinate informally with the American armed forces regarding positioning and plans, primarily to prevent being targeted by airstrikes.

Next Steps and Inspiration

Machado said she had American backing to depart Venezuela. She has declared her intention to return home, though it is not clear how or when.

Stern said his group would not be involved in that operation, as it focuses exclusively on extracting individuals from countries, not in. “That’s for her to determine for herself. But I think she should not go back. Yet she is determined. She is a genuine inspiration,” he said.