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The daring getaway of Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado entailed a long, “scary” and very wet sea crossing in the dead of night, as detailed by the American man who says he led the mission.

The Dangerous Nocturnal Crossing

The rescue organizer, who leads a nonprofit rescue organisation, detailed the mission in a newly published interview. “It was dangerous. It was scary,” stated Stern, an ex-special forces operative, describing dark and choppy conditions that also provided convenient cover for the escape.

“The sea conditions were ideal for us, 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 departed from Venezuela, where she had been in hiding since August 2024 fearing persecution by the government of President Nicolás Maduro.

The Detailed Extraction

She boarded his boat for a half-day journey to an undisclosed location to board a flight, in a mission orchestrated just four days earlier. The operation occurred at midnight – minimal moonlight, some cloud coverage, extremely low visibility, vessels running dark. Everyone was quite damp. My team and I were soaked to the gills. She was pretty cold and wet, too. She had a very arduous journey,” Stern noted.

Describing her condition, he commented, “She was very happy. She was very excited. She was exhausted,” adding that about two dozen people were directly involved within his organization.

Verification and Disguise

A representative for Machado verified that Stern’s foundation was behind the operation, which commenced earlier in the week. This account comes after earlier stories that Machado used a wig and costume to flee her safe house in a outskirts of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

Stern did not divulge specifics about the land operation, citing his organization's ongoing operations in the country.

Financing and American Involvement

He told media the mission was financed by “several benefactors” – with no US government figures involved. Official US funds were not used, to my knowledge,” Stern said.

He clarified, though, that his group did coordinate informally with the American armed forces regarding locations and strategy, primarily to prevent being mistakenly fired upon.

Next Steps and Inspiration

Machado said she had American backing to leave Venezuela. She has declared her intention to go back, though the specifics remain uncertain how or when.

Stern said his group would play no part in a return mission, as it focuses exclusively on getting people out of countries, not bringing them back. “She must decide that for herself. But I think she should not go back. Yet she is determined. Maria is truly inspirational,” he concluded.