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The daring getaway of Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado involved a long, “scary” and very wet sea crossing in the pitch black of night, according to the American man who claims to have commanded the mission.

The Dangerous Nighttime Crossing

The rescue organizer, who heads a nonprofit rescue organisation, detailed the operation in a recent interview. “It was dangerous. It was scary,” said Stern, an ex-special forces operative, recounting 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 meeting Machado out at sea after she departed from Venezuela, where she had been in hiding since August 2024 fearing targeting by the government of President Nicolás Maduro.

A Detailed Escape Plan

She boarded his boat for a half-day trip to an secret location to catch a plane, as part of orchestrated just days before. The operation occurred at midnight – very little moon, some cloud coverage, very hard to see, vessels running dark. Everyone was quite damp. My team and I were soaked to the gills. She was also chilled and wet. She had a very arduous journey,” Stern added.

Describing her condition, he commented, She was elated. She was very excited. She was very tired,” adding that about two dozen people were actively participating within his organization.

Confirmation and Disguise

Spokespeople for Machado confirmed that Stern’s foundation was behind the extraction, which commenced earlier in the week. This account 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 specifics about the land operation, citing his company’s future work in the country.

Funding and US Role

He stated publicly the mission was financed by “a few generous donors” – with no US government figures involved. Official US funds were not used, to my knowledge,” Stern asserted.

He said, however, that his group did “unofficially collaborate” with the American armed forces regarding positioning and plans, largely to avoid being targeted by airstrikes.

Future Plans and Inspiration

Machado said she had American backing to leave Venezuela. She has declared her intention to go back, though it is not clear the method or timing.

Stern indicated his group would play no part in that operation, as it worked only on extracting individuals from countries, not bringing them back. “That’s for her to determine for herself. But I think she should not go back. But she wants to. Maria is truly inspirational,” he concluded.