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The daring escape of Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado entailed a long, frightening and very wet sea crossing in the dead of night, according to the American man who claims to have commanded the mission.

The Perilous Nighttime Crossing

The rescue organizer, who heads a nonprofit rescue organisation, detailed the mission in a newly published interview. It was perilous. It was scary,” stated Stern, a US special forces veteran, describing dark and choppy conditions that also provided convenient cover for the flight.

“The ocean was perfect for our purposes, but certainly not water that you would want to be on ... the higher the waves, the harder it is for radar to see,” Stern said.

He recalled meeting Machado out at sea after she left the country, where she had been lying low since August 2024 due to fear of targeting by the administration of President Nicolás Maduro.

A Detailed Extraction

She boarded his boat for a 13- to 14-hour journey to an secret location to catch a plane, in a mission planned just days before. The operation occurred at midnight – minimal moonlight, a little bit of cloud cover, very hard to see, boats have no lights. Everyone was quite damp. My crew and I were drenched. She was also chilled and wet. She endured a grueling passage,” Stern added.

Regarding her state, he said, She was elated. She was thrilled. She was very tired,” adding that about twenty-four people were actively participating within his team.

Confirmation and Disguise

Spokespeople for Machado verified that Stern’s company was behind the operation, which commenced earlier in the week. This report follows earlier stories that Machado wore a wig and a disguise to leave her safe house in a outskirts of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

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

Funding and American Involvement

He told media the mission was funded through “several benefactors” – none of whom were US officials involved. Official US funds were not used, at least not that I know of,” Stern said.

He said, however, that his group did coordinate informally with the American armed forces regarding positioning and plans, largely to avoid being targeted by airstrikes.

Future Plans and Inspiration

Machado said she had American backing to depart Venezuela. She has announced plans to return home, though the specifics remain uncertain the method or timing.

Stern said his group would play no part in that operation, as it focuses exclusively 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. Yet she is determined. She is a genuine inspiration,” he said.