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This daring escape of political leader María Corina Machado involved a long, frightening and soaking sea crossing in the pitch black of night, according to the US veteran who says he led the operation.

The Dangerous Nocturnal Crossing

Bryan Stern, who leads a rescue nonprofit, detailed the operation in a recent media appearance. It was perilous. It was scary,” said Stern, a US special forces veteran, describing rough and moonless seas that also provided ideal concealment for the escape.

“The sea conditions were ideal for us, but not water you'd choose to sail on ... the bigger the swells, the more difficult radar detection becomes,” Stern said.

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

The Detailed Extraction

She boarded his boat for a half-day journey to an secret location to catch a plane, in a mission orchestrated just days before. “This was in the middle of the night – minimal moonlight, a little bit of cloud cover, very hard to see, vessels running dark. Everyone was quite damp. My team and I were soaked to the gills. She was also chilled and wet. She endured a grueling passage,” Stern noted.

Regarding her state, he commented, “She was very happy. She was very excited. She was exhausted,” and noted about two dozen people were directly involved within his organization.

Verification and Disguise

A representative for Machado confirmed that Stern’s company was responsible for the extraction, which began on Tuesday. This account follows earlier stories that Machado used a wig and costume to flee her hideout in a outskirts of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

Stern did not divulge specifics about the ground segment, citing his organization's ongoing operations in the region.

Financing and US Role

He stated publicly the mission was funded through “a few generous donors” – none of whom were 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 locations and strategy, primarily to prevent being targeted by airstrikes.

Future Plans and Inspiration

The opposition leader stated she had American backing to leave Venezuela. She has announced plans to return home, though the specifics remain uncertain 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 bringing them back. “She must decide that for herself. Personally, I advise against returning. But she wants to. She is a genuine inspiration,” he concluded.