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This audacious getaway of political leader María Corina Machado entailed a lengthy, frightening and soaking sea crossing in the pitch black of night, as detailed by the US veteran who says he led the operation.

A Perilous Nighttime Crossing

The rescue organizer, who leads a rescue nonprofit, outlined the operation in a newly published interview. It was perilous. It was terrifying,” stated Stern, an ex-special forces operative, describing rough and moonless seas that simultaneously offered convenient cover for the flight.

“The sea conditions were ideal for us, but certainly not water that you would want to be on ... the bigger the swells, the more difficult radar detection becomes,” he remarked.

He recalled meeting Machado out at sea after she left Venezuela, where she had been lying low since August 2024 due to fear of targeting by the government of President Nicolás Maduro.

The Detailed Extraction

Machado embarked on his boat for a 13- to 14-hour trip to an secret location to catch a plane, as part of orchestrated just four days earlier. “This was in the middle of the night – very little moon, some cloud coverage, very hard to see, vessels running dark. All of us were pretty wet. My crew and I were drenched. She was also chilled and wet. She had a very arduous journey,” Stern noted.

Describing her condition, he said, She was elated. She was thrilled. She was exhausted,” and noted about twenty-four people were directly involved within his organization.

Confirmation and Disguise

A representative for Machado verified that Stern’s foundation was behind the extraction, which began on Tuesday. This account comes after previous reporting that Machado used a wig and costume to leave her safe house in a outskirts of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

Stern did not divulge specifics about the land operation, citing his organization's ongoing operations in the country.

Funding and US Involvement

He stated publicly the mission was financed by “a few generous donors” – none of whom were US government figures involved. “The US government did not contribute a single penny, 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 targeted by airstrikes.

Future Plans and Inspiration

Machado said she had US support to leave Venezuela. She has announced plans to return home, though it is not clear how or when.

Stern said his group would not be involved in a return mission, as it worked only on getting people out of countries, not in. “She must decide that for herself. Personally, I advise against returning. Yet she is determined. She is a genuine inspiration,” he concluded.