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The audacious escape of political leader María Corina Machado involved a long, “scary” and very wet sea crossing in the pitch black of night, according to the US veteran who says he led the operation.

The Perilous Nocturnal Voyage

Bryan Stern, who leads a nonprofit rescue organisation, outlined the mission in a recent interview. It was perilous. It was terrifying,” said Stern, a US special forces veteran, recounting rough and moonless seas that also provided convenient cover for the escape.

“The sea conditions were ideal for us, but not water you'd choose to sail on ... the bigger the swells, the harder it is for radar to see,” Stern said.

He described rendezvousing with Machado offshore after she left Venezuela, where she had been lying low for over a year fearing targeting by the administration of President Nicolás Maduro.

A Detailed Extraction

She boarded his boat for a half-day journey to an secret location to catch a plane, in a mission planned just days before. The operation occurred at midnight – minimal moonlight, a little bit of cloud cover, very hard to see, boats have no lights. Everyone was quite damp. My crew and I were drenched. She was also chilled and wet. She endured a grueling passage,” Stern noted.

Regarding her state, he said, She was elated. She was very excited. She was very tired,” and noted about two dozen people were actively participating within his team.

Verification and Concealment

A representative for Machado verified that Stern’s foundation was responsible for the extraction, which commenced earlier in the week. This report follows earlier stories that Machado wore a wig and a disguise to leave her safe house in a suburb of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

Stern did not divulge specifics about the land operation, citing his organization's ongoing operations in the country.

Funding and US Role

He stated publicly the mission was funded through “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 clarified, though, that his group did “unofficially collaborate” with the American armed forces regarding locations and strategy, largely to avoid being mistakenly fired upon.

Future Plans and Inspiration

The opposition leader stated she had US support to leave Venezuela. She has announced plans to return home, though it is not clear the method or timing.

Stern said his group would play no part in that operation, as it worked only on getting people out of countries, not bringing them back. “That’s for her to determine for herself. Personally, I advise against returning. But she wants to. She is a genuine inspiration,” he said.