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The audacious getaway of political leader María Corina Machado involved a long, “scary” and soaking boat journey in the pitch black of night, according to the American man who claims to have commanded the operation.

A Perilous Nocturnal Crossing

Bryan Stern, who heads a rescue nonprofit, detailed the mission in a newly published interview. It was perilous. It was terrifying,” said Stern, an ex-special forces operative, recounting rough and moonless seas that simultaneously offered convenient cover for the flight.

“The sea conditions were ideal for us, but certainly not water that you would want to be on ... the higher the waves, the more difficult radar detection becomes,” he remarked.

He described rendezvousing with Machado offshore after she left Venezuela, where she had been lying low since August 2024 due to fear of persecution by the government of President Nicolás Maduro.

The Step-by-Step Escape Plan

She boarded his boat for a half-day trip to an secret location to catch a plane, in a mission planned just days before. The operation occurred at midnight – minimal moonlight, some cloud coverage, very hard to see, vessels running dark. All of us were pretty wet. My crew and I were drenched. 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 thrilled. She was very tired,” adding that about twenty-four people were actively participating within his organization.

Confirmation and Concealment

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 wore a wig and a disguise to leave her hideout in a outskirts of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

Stern did not divulge details about the land operation, referencing his company’s future work in the region.

Financing and American Involvement

He stated publicly the endeavor was financed by “several benefactors” – with no US government figures involved. “The US government did not contribute a single penny, to my knowledge,” Stern said.

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

Future Plans and Admiration

The opposition leader stated she had American backing to leave Venezuela. She has declared her intention to go back, though the specifics remain uncertain the method or timing.

Stern indicated his group would play no part in that operation, as it focuses exclusively on extracting individuals from countries, not in. “She must decide that and for her to decide. Personally, I advise against returning. But she wants to. She is a genuine inspiration,” he said.