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The daring getaway of political leader María Corina Machado involved a lengthy, frightening and soaking sea crossing in the pitch black of night, as detailed by the American man who claims to have commanded the operation.

A Dangerous Nocturnal Crossing

Bryan Stern, who leads a nonprofit rescue organisation, detailed the operation in a recent interview. It was perilous. It was scary,” stated Stern, an ex-special forces operative, describing rough and moonless seas that also provided ideal concealment for the flight.

“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,” he remarked.

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

The Step-by-Step Escape Plan

Machado embarked on his boat for a 13- to 14-hour journey to an undisclosed location to catch a plane, in a mission orchestrated just days before. The operation occurred at midnight – very little moon, some cloud coverage, very hard to see, vessels running dark. 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.

Regarding her state, he commented, She was elated. She was very excited. She was exhausted,” adding that about two dozen people were actively participating within his organization.

Verification and Concealment

Spokespeople for Machado verified that Stern’s company was responsible for the extraction, which began on Tuesday. This report follows earlier stories that Machado used a wig and costume to leave her safe house in a suburb of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

The veteran declined to share details about the land operation, citing his organization's ongoing operations in the region.

Funding and American Role

He stated publicly the endeavor was financed by “several benefactors” – none of whom were US officials involved. Official US funds were not used, to my knowledge,” Stern said.

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

Future Plans and Admiration

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

Stern indicated his group would not be involved in that operation, as it focuses exclusively on getting people out of countries, not in. “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 said.