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This audacious escape of Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado entailed a lengthy, “scary” and very wet boat journey in the dead of night, according to the US veteran who says he led the operation.

A Perilous Nocturnal Voyage

The rescue organizer, who heads a rescue nonprofit, detailed the operation in a newly published media appearance. It was perilous. It was terrifying,” stated Stern, an ex-special forces operative, describing rough and moonless seas that also provided ideal concealment 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 more difficult radar detection becomes,” Stern said.

He described rendezvousing with Machado offshore after she departed from the country, where she had been in hiding since August 2024 fearing persecution by the government of President Nicolás Maduro.

A Detailed Extraction

Machado embarked on his boat for a 13- to 14-hour trip to an undisclosed location to catch a plane, in a mission planned just days before. “This was in the middle of the night – very little moon, a little bit of cloud cover, very hard to see, vessels running dark. All of us were pretty wet. My crew and I were drenched. She was also chilled and wet. She endured a grueling passage,” Stern added.

Describing her condition, he said, “She was very happy. She was very excited. She was exhausted,” and noted about two dozen people were directly involved within his team.

Verification and Disguise

Spokespeople for Machado verified that Stern’s company was behind the operation, which began on Tuesday. 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.

Stern did not divulge details about the ground segment, referencing his organization's ongoing operations in the country.

Financing and American Involvement

He told media the mission was financed by “a few generous donors” – with no US officials 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 “unofficially collaborate” with the American armed forces regarding locations and strategy, largely to avoid being targeted by airstrikes.

Next Steps and Admiration

The opposition leader stated she had US support to leave Venezuela. She has declared her intention to return home, though it is not clear the method or timing.

Stern indicated his group would not be involved in that operation, as it focuses exclusively on extracting individuals from countries, not in. “That’s for her to determine and for her to decide. Personally, I advise against returning. But she wants to. She is a genuine inspiration,” he said.