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The audacious escape of Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado involved a long, “scary” and soaking sea crossing in the dead of night, as detailed by the US veteran who claims to have commanded the operation.

A Dangerous Nocturnal Voyage

Bryan Stern, who heads a rescue nonprofit, detailed the mission in a newly published interview. It was perilous. It was scary,” stated Stern, an ex-special forces operative, describing dark and choppy conditions that also provided convenient cover for the escape.

“The ocean was perfect for our purposes, but certainly not water that you would want to be on ... the higher the waves, the more difficult radar detection becomes,” Stern said.

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

The Step-by-Step Escape Plan

Machado embarked on his boat for a half-day journey to an secret location to board a flight, in a mission planned just four days earlier. The operation occurred at midnight – minimal moonlight, a little bit of cloud cover, very hard to see, boats have no lights. All of us were pretty wet. My team and I were soaked to the gills. She was pretty cold and wet, too. She endured a grueling passage,” Stern added.

Regarding her state, he said, “She was very happy. She was thrilled. She was exhausted,” adding that about two dozen people were directly involved within his team.

Confirmation and Disguise

Spokespeople for Machado verified that Stern’s foundation was behind the operation, which began on Tuesday. This account comes after previous reporting that Machado used a wig and costume to flee her safe house in a outskirts of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

Stern did not divulge details about the land operation, citing his company’s future work in the country.

Funding and US Role

He stated publicly the mission was financed by “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 asserted.

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

Next Steps and Admiration

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 indicated his group would play no part in a return mission, as it focuses exclusively on getting people out of countries, not bringing them back. “She must decide that and for her to decide. But I think she should not go back. But she wants to. She is a genuine inspiration,” he concluded.