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The audacious getaway of political leader María Corina Machado entailed a lengthy, “scary” and soaking boat journey in the dead of night, according to the American man who says he led the operation.

The Perilous Nighttime Crossing

The rescue organizer, who leads a rescue nonprofit, outlined the operation in a recent interview. It was perilous. It was scary,” said Stern, an ex-special forces operative, describing rough and moonless seas that simultaneously offered convenient cover 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 recalled rendezvousing with Machado offshore after she departed from Venezuela, where she had been lying low for over a year due to fear of persecution by the government of President Nicolás Maduro.

A Step-by-Step Extraction

She boarded his boat for a half-day journey to an undisclosed location to catch a plane, as part of orchestrated just four days earlier. The operation occurred at midnight – very little moon, some cloud coverage, very hard to see, vessels running dark. Everyone was quite damp. My crew and I were drenched. She was also chilled and wet. She had a very arduous journey,” Stern noted.

Regarding her state, he commented, “She was very happy. She was very excited. She was exhausted,” adding that about twenty-four people were actively participating within his team.

Verification and Disguise

A representative for Machado verified that Stern’s company 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 leave her safe house in a suburb of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

Stern did not divulge specifics about the ground segment, referencing his company’s future work in the country.

Funding and American 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 US military regarding positioning and plans, primarily to prevent being targeted by airstrikes.

Future Plans and Admiration

The opposition leader stated she had US support to depart Venezuela. She has declared her intention to return home, though it is not clear how or when.

Stern indicated his group would play no part in a return mission, as it worked only on getting people out of 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. She is a genuine inspiration,” he said.