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The daring escape of Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado involved a lengthy, frightening and very wet sea crossing in the dead of night, according to the US veteran who claims to have commanded the operation.

A Dangerous Nighttime Voyage

Bryan Stern, who leads a nonprofit rescue organisation, detailed the mission in a recent media appearance. It was perilous. It was terrifying,” said Stern, an ex-special forces operative, recounting dark and choppy conditions 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 harder it is for radar to see,” he remarked.

He recalled rendezvousing with Machado offshore after she departed from the country, where she had been in hiding for over a year fearing targeting by the administration of President Nicolás Maduro.

A Step-by-Step Escape Plan

She boarded his boat for a 13- to 14-hour journey to an undisclosed location to catch a plane, as part of orchestrated just four days earlier. The operation occurred at midnight – minimal moonlight, some cloud coverage, very hard to see, boats have no lights. All of us were pretty wet. My crew and I were drenched. She was also chilled and wet. She endured a grueling passage,” Stern added.

Regarding her state, he said, She was elated. She was very excited. She was very tired,” adding that about two dozen people were directly involved within his team.

Verification and Concealment

Spokespeople for Machado verified that Stern’s foundation was responsible for the extraction, which commenced earlier in the week. This account comes after previous reporting that Machado used a wig and costume to leave her hideout in a outskirts of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

Stern did not divulge specifics about the land operation, citing his company’s future work in the country.

Funding and US Involvement

He stated publicly the mission was financed by “several benefactors” – with no US officials involved. Official US funds were not used, at least not that I know of,” Stern asserted.

He said, however, that his group did coordinate informally with the US military regarding positioning and plans, primarily to prevent being mistakenly fired upon.

Future Plans and Inspiration

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

Stern indicated his group would not be involved in that operation, as it focuses exclusively on getting people out of countries, not in. “She must decide that and for her to decide. Personally, I advise against returning. But she wants to. She is a genuine inspiration,” he concluded.