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The daring escape of political leader María Corina Machado entailed a lengthy, “scary” and soaking boat journey in the dead of night, as detailed by the American man who says he led the operation.

The Dangerous Nighttime Crossing

Bryan Stern, who leads a nonprofit rescue organisation, detailed the mission in a recent media appearance. It was perilous. It was terrifying,” said Stern, a US special forces veteran, describing rough and moonless seas that simultaneously offered convenient cover for the flight.

“The ocean was perfect for our purposes, but certainly not water that you would want to be on ... the bigger the swells, the harder it is for radar to see,” he remarked.

He described meeting Machado out at sea after she departed from Venezuela, where she had been lying low for over a year due to fear of persecution by the administration of President Nicolás Maduro.

The Step-by-Step Escape Plan

Machado embarked on his boat for a 13- to 14-hour journey to an undisclosed location to board a flight, as part of planned just four days earlier. The operation occurred at midnight – 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 very happy. She was thrilled. She was exhausted,” adding that about twenty-four people were actively participating within his organization.

Verification and Disguise

Spokespeople for Machado verified that Stern’s foundation was behind the extraction, which commenced earlier in the week. This account follows previous reporting 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 details about the land operation, citing his organization's ongoing operations in the region.

Financing and US Role

He told media the endeavor was financed by “several benefactors” – with no US officials involved. “The US government did not contribute a single penny, to my knowledge,” Stern asserted.

He said, however, that his group did “unofficially collaborate” with the American armed forces regarding positioning and plans, primarily to prevent being mistakenly fired upon.

Next Steps and Inspiration

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

Stern said his group would play no part in a return mission, as it worked only on extracting individuals from countries, not bringing them back. “That’s for her to determine for herself. But I think she should not go back. But she wants to. Maria is truly inspirational,” he said.