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The daring getaway of Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado entailed a lengthy, “scary” and soaking boat journey in the pitch black of night, according to the American man who claims to have commanded the operation.

The Dangerous Nighttime Voyage

The rescue organizer, who leads a nonprofit rescue organisation, outlined the mission in a recent interview. “It was dangerous. It was terrifying,” stated Stern, a US special forces veteran, recounting rough and moonless seas that also provided convenient cover for the flight.

“The ocean was perfect for our purposes, but not water you'd choose to sail on ... the bigger the swells, the more difficult radar detection becomes,” Stern said.

He described meeting Machado out at sea after she departed from Venezuela, where she had been lying low for over a year due to fear of targeting by the government of President Nicolás Maduro.

A Detailed Extraction

She boarded his boat for a 13- to 14-hour trip to an undisclosed location to board a flight, in a mission orchestrated just four days earlier. The operation occurred at midnight – very little moon, a little bit of cloud cover, extremely low visibility, boats have no lights. Everyone was quite damp. My team and I were soaked to the gills. She was pretty cold and wet, too. She endured a grueling passage,” Stern added.

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

Verification and Concealment

Spokespeople for Machado confirmed that Stern’s company was behind the extraction, which commenced earlier in the week. This report follows previous reporting that Machado wore a wig and a disguise to flee her hideout in a suburb of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

The veteran declined to share specifics about the land operation, citing his company’s future work in the region.

Financing and US Role

He told media the endeavor was funded through “several benefactors” – none of whom were US government figures involved. Official US funds were not used, to my knowledge,” Stern asserted.

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

Next Steps and Inspiration

The opposition leader stated she had American backing to leave Venezuela. She has announced plans to go back, though it is not clear 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 for herself. But I think she should not go back. Yet she is determined. She is a genuine inspiration,” he said.