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This audacious escape of Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado involved a lengthy, “scary” and soaking sea crossing in the dead of night, according to the US veteran who says he led the mission.

A Dangerous Nighttime Voyage

Bryan Stern, who heads a nonprofit rescue organisation, outlined the operation in a newly published media appearance. It was perilous. It was scary,” stated Stern, an ex-special forces operative, recounting rough and moonless seas that simultaneously offered ideal concealment for the escape.

“The ocean was perfect for our purposes, but not water you'd choose to sail on ... the higher the waves, the harder it is for radar to see,” Stern said.

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

The Detailed Escape Plan

She boarded his boat for a half-day trip to an undisclosed location to catch a plane, as part of planned 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 noted.

Regarding her state, he said, “She was very happy. She was very excited. She was exhausted,” and noted about two dozen people were actively participating within his organization.

Verification and Disguise

A representative for Machado verified that Stern’s company was responsible for the operation, which commenced earlier in the week. This account follows earlier stories that Machado used a wig and costume to leave 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 country.

Financing and US Involvement

He told media the mission was funded through “several benefactors” – with no US officials involved. “The US government did not contribute a single penny, 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.

Next Steps and Admiration

The opposition leader stated she had American backing to depart Venezuela. She has announced plans to go back, though it is not clear the method or timing.

Stern said his group would play no part in that operation, as it focuses exclusively on getting people out of countries, not bringing them back. “She must decide that and for her to decide. Personally, I advise against returning. Yet she is determined. She is a genuine inspiration,” he said.