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The daring escape of political leader María Corina Machado entailed a lengthy, frightening and soaking sea crossing in the pitch black of night, as detailed by the US veteran who says he led the operation.

The Dangerous Nighttime Crossing

The rescue organizer, who heads a rescue nonprofit, detailed the operation in a newly published interview. It was perilous. It was scary,” said Stern, an ex-special forces operative, describing dark and choppy conditions that simultaneously offered convenient cover for the escape.

“The ocean was perfect for our purposes, but not water you'd choose to sail on ... the bigger the swells, 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 administration of President Nicolás Maduro.

A Step-by-Step Escape Plan

Machado embarked on his boat for a 13- to 14-hour journey to an undisclosed location to board a flight, in a mission planned just four days earlier. The operation occurred at midnight – minimal moonlight, some cloud coverage, extremely low visibility, boats have no lights. All of us were pretty wet. My team and I were soaked to the gills. 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 thrilled. She was very tired,” and noted about two dozen people were directly involved within his team.

Confirmation and Disguise

A representative for Machado confirmed that Stern’s foundation was responsible for the extraction, which commenced earlier in the week. This account comes after previous reporting that Machado wore a wig and a disguise to flee her safe house in a outskirts of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

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

Financing and US Role

He stated publicly the endeavor was financed by “a few generous donors” – with no US officials 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 locations and strategy, primarily to prevent being targeted by airstrikes.

Next Steps and Inspiration

The opposition leader stated she had American backing to leave Venezuela. She has declared her intention to return home, though it is not clear the method or timing.

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