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The audacious escape of Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado involved a lengthy, “scary” and very wet sea crossing in the pitch black of night, according to the American man who claims to have commanded the mission.

A Dangerous Nighttime Crossing

The rescue organizer, who leads a rescue nonprofit, outlined the operation in a newly published interview. “It was dangerous. It was terrifying,” stated Stern, a US special forces veteran, recounting rough and moonless seas that simultaneously offered convenient cover for the flight.

“The sea conditions were ideal for us, but not water you'd choose to sail on ... the higher the waves, the harder it is for radar to see,” he remarked.

He recalled rendezvousing with Machado offshore after she left the country, where she had been lying low since August 2024 due to fear of persecution by the administration of President Nicolás Maduro.

The Step-by-Step Escape Plan

She boarded his boat for a 13- to 14-hour journey to an undisclosed location to catch a plane, in a mission planned just four days earlier. “This was in the middle of the night – very little moon, some cloud coverage, 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 thrilled. She was exhausted,” and noted about twenty-four people were actively participating within his organization.

Verification and Concealment

Spokespeople for Machado confirmed that Stern’s company was behind the extraction, which commenced earlier in the week. This account comes after earlier stories that Machado wore a wig and a disguise to flee her hideout in a outskirts of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

The veteran declined to share specifics about the ground segment, citing his organization's ongoing operations in the country.

Financing and US Role

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, at least not that I know of,” Stern said.

He clarified, though, that his group did coordinate informally with the American armed forces regarding locations and strategy, primarily to prevent being mistakenly fired upon.

Future Plans and Admiration

Machado said she had US support to depart Venezuela. She has declared her intention to go back, though the specifics remain uncertain 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 in. “She must decide that and for her to decide. But I think she should not go back. Yet she is determined. Maria is truly inspirational,” he concluded.