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This daring escape of Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado entailed a lengthy, “scary” and very wet boat journey in the dead of night, as detailed by the US veteran who claims to have commanded the operation.

A Dangerous Nighttime Crossing

The rescue organizer, who leads a nonprofit rescue organisation, detailed the mission in a recent media appearance. “It was dangerous. It was terrifying,” stated Stern, a US special forces veteran, recounting rough and moonless seas that simultaneously offered ideal concealment for the escape.

“The ocean was perfect for our purposes, but certainly not water that you would want to be on ... the bigger the swells, the more difficult radar detection becomes,” he remarked.

He recalled meeting Machado out at sea after she left the country, where she had been in hiding for over a year fearing targeting by the administration of President Nicolás Maduro.

The Step-by-Step Escape Plan

She boarded his boat for a half-day journey to an secret location to board a flight, in a mission planned just days before. “This was in the middle of the night – very little moon, some cloud coverage, extremely low visibility, boats have no lights. Everyone was quite damp. My crew and I were drenched. She was pretty cold and wet, too. She endured a grueling passage,” Stern noted.

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

Confirmation and Concealment

A representative for Machado confirmed that Stern’s foundation was responsible for the extraction, which began on Tuesday. This account follows earlier stories that Machado used a wig and costume to flee her hideout in a outskirts of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

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

Funding and US Involvement

He stated publicly the endeavor was funded through “a few generous donors” – with no US government figures involved. Official US funds were not used, to my knowledge,” Stern asserted.

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

Future Plans and Admiration

The opposition leader stated she had US support to leave Venezuela. She has announced plans to go back, though it is not clear how or when.

Stern indicated his group would not be involved in a return mission, as it worked only on getting people out of countries, not in. “That’s for her to determine for herself. But I think she should not go back. Yet she is determined. Maria is truly inspirational,” he said.