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The daring escape of Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado involved a long, frightening and very wet sea crossing in the dead of night, as detailed by the US veteran who claims to have commanded the operation.

A Dangerous Nocturnal Crossing

The rescue organizer, who heads a nonprofit rescue organisation, detailed the operation in a newly published interview. “It was dangerous. It was scary,” said Stern, an ex-special forces operative, describing rough and moonless seas that also provided ideal concealment for the escape.

“The ocean was perfect for our purposes, but not water you'd choose to sail 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 the country, where she had been lying low since August 2024 fearing persecution by the government of President Nicolás Maduro.

The Step-by-Step Extraction

She boarded his boat for a 13- to 14-hour journey to an undisclosed location to board a flight, in a mission orchestrated just four days earlier. “This was in the middle of the night – 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 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,” and noted about two dozen people were actively participating within his team.

Verification and Disguise

Spokespeople for Machado verified that Stern’s foundation was responsible for the extraction, which commenced earlier in the week. This account comes after earlier stories that Machado wore a wig and a disguise to flee her safe house in a outskirts of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

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

Funding and American Role

He stated publicly the endeavor was funded through “several benefactors” – with no US officials involved. Official US funds were not used, to my knowledge,” Stern said.

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

Future Plans and Admiration

Machado said she had US support to depart Venezuela. She has declared her intention to go back, though the specifics remain uncertain the method or timing.

Stern said his group would not be involved in a return mission, as it worked only on extracting individuals from countries, not bringing them back. “That’s for her to determine and for her to decide. Personally, I advise against returning. Yet she is determined. Maria is truly inspirational,” he said.