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This daring getaway of political leader María Corina Machado involved a long, frightening and soaking boat journey in the dead of night, according to the American man who says he led the operation.

A Perilous Nighttime Crossing

The rescue organizer, who leads a rescue nonprofit, detailed the mission in a recent media appearance. “It was dangerous. It was scary,” said Stern, a US special forces veteran, describing dark and choppy conditions 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 more difficult radar detection becomes,” he remarked.

He recalled meeting Machado out at sea after she left Venezuela, where she had been in hiding since August 2024 due to fear of persecution by the government of President Nicolás Maduro.

The Step-by-Step 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 – very little moon, a little bit of cloud cover, extremely low visibility, boats have no lights. 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 noted.

Regarding her state, he commented, “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

A representative for Machado confirmed that Stern’s foundation was responsible for the operation, which began on Tuesday. This account follows previous reporting that Machado used a wig and costume to leave her hideout in a suburb of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

The veteran declined to share details about the land operation, citing his company’s future work in the country.

Funding and American Involvement

He told media the mission was financed by “a few generous donors” – none of whom were US government figures involved. “The US government did not contribute a single penny, at least not that I know of,” Stern said.

He said, however, that his group did “unofficially collaborate” with the US military regarding positioning and plans, largely to avoid being mistakenly fired upon.

Next Steps and Inspiration

The opposition leader stated she had American backing 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 worked only on extracting individuals from countries, not in. “She must decide that for herself. Personally, I advise against returning. Yet she is determined. She is a genuine inspiration,” he concluded.