🔗 Share this article

The daring escape of Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado entailed a long, frightening and soaking boat journey in the dead of night, as detailed by the US veteran who says he led the mission.

A Dangerous Nighttime Crossing

The rescue organizer, who heads a nonprofit rescue organisation, outlined the mission in a newly published interview. “It was dangerous. It was scary,” stated Stern, a US special forces veteran, describing rough and moonless seas that also provided 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,” Stern said.

He recalled meeting Machado out at sea after she departed from Venezuela, where she had been in hiding for over a year fearing persecution by the government of President Nicolás Maduro.

The Detailed Extraction

She boarded his boat for a 13- to 14-hour journey to an undisclosed location to board a flight, in a mission orchestrated just four days earlier. “This was in the middle of the night – minimal moonlight, some cloud coverage, extremely low visibility, vessels running dark. 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.

Regarding her state, he commented, She was elated. She was thrilled. She was very tired,” and noted about two dozen people were actively participating within his organization.

Verification and Concealment

A representative for Machado confirmed that Stern’s company was responsible for the operation, which commenced earlier in the week. This report comes after earlier stories that Machado used a wig and costume to flee her safe house in a outskirts of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

The veteran declined to share specifics about the ground segment, referencing his organization's ongoing operations in the region.

Financing and US Role

He stated publicly the mission was financed by “a few generous donors” – with no US government figures involved. Official US funds were not used, to my knowledge,” Stern said.

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

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

Stern said his group would not be involved in that operation, as it focuses exclusively on getting people out of countries, not in. “She must decide that for herself. Personally, I advise against returning. But she wants to. She is a genuine inspiration,” he said.