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This audacious getaway of political leader María Corina Machado entailed a lengthy, frightening and soaking sea crossing in the dead of night, according to the US veteran who says he led the mission.

The Dangerous Nocturnal Voyage

Bryan Stern, who leads a rescue nonprofit, outlined the mission in a recent media appearance. It was perilous. It was terrifying,” stated Stern, a US special forces veteran, describing rough and moonless seas that also provided convenient cover for the flight.

“The ocean was perfect for our purposes, but not water you'd choose to sail on ... the bigger the swells, the more difficult radar detection becomes,” Stern said.

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

A Detailed Extraction

She boarded his boat for a half-day journey to an secret location to board a flight, in a mission orchestrated just days before. The operation occurred at midnight – minimal moonlight, a little bit of cloud cover, extremely low visibility, boats have no lights. All of us were pretty wet. My crew and I were drenched. She was pretty cold and wet, too. She endured a grueling passage,” Stern added.

Describing her condition, he said, She was elated. She was very excited. She was exhausted,” and noted about twenty-four people were directly involved within his team.

Verification and Concealment

A representative for Machado verified that Stern’s company was behind the extraction, which commenced earlier in the week. This report follows previous reporting that Machado wore a wig and a disguise to leave her safe house in a suburb of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

The veteran declined to share details about the ground segment, citing his organization's ongoing operations in the country.

Funding and American Involvement

He stated publicly the mission was funded through “several benefactors” – with no US government figures involved. Official US funds were not used, at least not that I know of,” Stern asserted.

He said, however, 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 Inspiration

Machado said she had US support to depart Venezuela. She has declared her intention to return home, though the specifics remain uncertain 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 bringing them back. “That’s for her to determine for herself. Personally, I advise against returning. Yet she is determined. She is a genuine inspiration,” he concluded.