🔗 Share this article

This daring getaway of Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado entailed a lengthy, “scary” and very wet sea crossing in the dead of night, as detailed by the American man who claims to have commanded the operation.

A Perilous Nighttime Voyage

The rescue organizer, who leads a rescue nonprofit, detailed the operation in a recent media appearance. “It was dangerous. It was scary,” stated Stern, an ex-special forces operative, recounting rough and moonless seas that simultaneously offered ideal concealment 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,” he remarked.

He recalled rendezvousing with Machado offshore after she left Venezuela, where she had been in hiding for over a year due to fear of 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 secret location to catch a plane, as part of planned just days before. The operation occurred at midnight – very little moon, a little bit of cloud cover, very hard to see, 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 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 directly involved within his team.

Verification and Disguise

Spokespeople for Machado confirmed that Stern’s company was responsible for the extraction, which began on Tuesday. This account follows earlier stories that Machado wore a wig and a disguise to flee her safe house in a suburb of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

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

Financing and US 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 asserted.

He said, however, that his group did coordinate informally with the US military regarding positioning and plans, primarily to prevent being mistakenly fired upon.

Future Plans and Inspiration

Machado said she had US support to depart Venezuela. She has declared her intention to return home, though it is not clear how or when.

Stern said his group would play no part in a return mission, as it worked only on extracting individuals from countries, not bringing them back. “She must decide that for herself. Personally, I advise against returning. But she wants to. Maria is truly inspirational,” he concluded.