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

A Perilous Nocturnal Voyage

Bryan Stern, who leads a rescue nonprofit, outlined the operation in a newly published interview. 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 higher the waves, the more difficult radar detection becomes,” he remarked.

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

The 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 – very little moon, some cloud coverage, extremely low visibility, vessels running dark. All of us were pretty wet. My team and I were soaked to the gills. She was pretty cold and wet, too. She had a very arduous journey,” Stern added.

Describing her condition, he commented, “She was very happy. She was thrilled. She was very tired,” and noted about twenty-four people were directly involved within his team.

Verification and Concealment

Spokespeople for Machado verified that Stern’s company was responsible for the operation, which commenced earlier in the week. This account comes after previous reporting 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 ground segment, referencing his company’s future work in the country.

Financing and American Involvement

He told media the mission was financed by “a few generous donors” – none of whom were US government figures 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 American armed forces regarding locations and strategy, primarily to prevent being targeted by airstrikes.

Next Steps 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 how or when.

Stern said his group would not be involved in a return mission, as it worked only on extracting individuals from countries, not in. “She must decide that and for her to decide. Personally, I advise against returning. Yet she is determined. Maria is truly inspirational,” he said.