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The daring getaway of Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado involved a long, frightening and soaking boat journey in the pitch black of night, as detailed by the US veteran who claims to have commanded the mission.

A Perilous Nocturnal Crossing

Bryan Stern, who leads a rescue nonprofit, detailed the mission in a recent interview. It was perilous. It was scary,” stated Stern, an ex-special forces operative, describing dark and choppy conditions that also provided ideal concealment for the escape.

“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 meeting Machado out at sea after she departed from Venezuela, where she had been lying low since August 2024 fearing persecution by the administration of President Nicolás Maduro.

A Step-by-Step Extraction

She boarded his boat for a 13- to 14-hour journey to an secret location to board a flight, in a mission orchestrated just days before. “This was in the middle of the night – minimal moonlight, a little bit of cloud cover, extremely low visibility, vessels running dark. Everyone was quite damp. My crew and I were drenched. She was pretty cold and wet, too. She endured a grueling passage,” Stern noted.

Describing her condition, he said, “She was very happy. She was very excited. She was very tired,” and noted about twenty-four people were actively participating within his team.

Verification and Disguise

A representative for Machado verified that Stern’s foundation was behind the extraction, which began on Tuesday. This account comes after previous reporting that Machado used a wig and costume to leave her hideout in a outskirts of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

Stern did not divulge details about the ground segment, referencing his organization's ongoing operations in the country.

Funding and US Role

He told media the endeavor was financed by “several benefactors” – with no US government figures involved. Official US funds were not used, at least not that I know of,” Stern said.

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

Next Steps and Inspiration

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

Stern indicated his group would not be involved in that operation, as it focuses exclusively on extracting individuals from countries, not bringing them back. “That’s for her to determine and for her to decide. Personally, I advise against returning. But she wants to. She is a genuine inspiration,” he concluded.