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The audacious escape of political leader María Corina Machado involved a lengthy, “scary” and very wet sea crossing in the pitch black of night, according to the US veteran who claims to have commanded the operation.

A Perilous Nighttime Crossing

The rescue organizer, who leads a rescue nonprofit, detailed the operation in a newly published interview. “It was dangerous. It was terrifying,” stated Stern, an ex-special forces operative, describing dark and choppy conditions that also provided ideal concealment for the flight.

“The sea conditions were ideal for us, but certainly not water that you would want to be on ... the bigger the swells, the harder it is for radar to see,” he remarked.

He described meeting Machado out at sea after she left Venezuela, where she had been lying low for over a year 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 catch a plane, in a mission planned just days before. “This was in the middle of the night – minimal moonlight, 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 also chilled and wet. She endured a grueling passage,” Stern added.

Describing her condition, he commented, She was elated. She was thrilled. She was exhausted,” adding that about twenty-four people were directly involved within his team.

Confirmation and Concealment

A representative for Machado confirmed that Stern’s company was responsible for the operation, which commenced earlier in the week. This account follows previous reporting that Machado used a wig and costume to flee her hideout in a outskirts of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

The veteran declined to share details about the land operation, citing his organization's ongoing operations in the region.

Funding and US Role

He told media the endeavor was financed by “a few generous donors” – none of whom were US officials involved. “The US government did not contribute a single penny, to my knowledge,” Stern said.

He clarified, though, that his group did “unofficially collaborate” with the American armed forces regarding positioning and plans, primarily to prevent being targeted by airstrikes.

Next Steps and Admiration

Machado said she had US support to depart Venezuela. She has declared her intention to go back, though it is not clear how or when.

Stern said his group would play no part in that operation, as it worked only on getting people out of countries, not in. “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 concluded.