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This audacious getaway of political leader María Corina Machado entailed a lengthy, “scary” and soaking boat journey in the dead of night, as detailed by the US veteran who says he led the mission.

The Dangerous Nocturnal Voyage

The rescue organizer, who heads a nonprofit rescue organisation, detailed the mission in a recent media appearance. It was perilous. It was terrifying,” said Stern, a US special forces veteran, recounting rough and moonless seas that simultaneously offered 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 the country, where she had been in hiding since August 2024 due to fear of targeting by the administration of President Nicolás Maduro.

The Step-by-Step Escape Plan

Machado embarked on his boat for a half-day journey to an secret location to board a flight, in a mission planned just days before. “This was in the middle of the night – minimal moonlight, a little bit of cloud cover, extremely low visibility, vessels running dark. Everyone was quite damp. My crew and I were drenched. She was pretty cold and wet, too. She had a very arduous journey,” Stern noted.

Regarding her state, he commented, “She was very happy. She was thrilled. She was exhausted,” adding that about twenty-four people were directly involved within his organization.

Confirmation and Concealment

Spokespeople for Machado verified that Stern’s foundation was responsible for the extraction, which commenced earlier in the week. This report comes after previous reporting that Machado used a wig and costume to flee her safe house in a suburb of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

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

Funding and US Role

He told media the endeavor was financed by “a few generous donors” – with no US officials involved. “The US government did not contribute a single penny, to my knowledge,” Stern asserted.

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

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 how or when.

Stern indicated his group would not be involved in that operation, as it focuses exclusively on extracting individuals from countries, not in. “That’s for her to determine for herself. But I think she should not go back. But she wants to. Maria is truly inspirational,” he concluded.