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This daring getaway of Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado entailed a long, “scary” and soaking sea crossing in the dead of night, according to the American man who claims to have commanded the mission.

The Dangerous Nocturnal Crossing

Bryan Stern, who heads a nonprofit rescue organisation, outlined the mission in a newly published media appearance. “It was dangerous. It was scary,” stated Stern, a US special forces veteran, describing dark and choppy conditions that simultaneously offered ideal concealment for the flight.

“The sea conditions were ideal for us, 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 lying low since August 2024 fearing persecution by the administration of President Nicolás Maduro.

The Step-by-Step Extraction

She boarded his boat for a 13- to 14-hour journey to an secret location to board a flight, as part of 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 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 very happy. She was very excited. She was very tired,” and noted about twenty-four people were actively participating within his organization.

Confirmation and Disguise

Spokespeople for Machado verified that Stern’s foundation was responsible for the extraction, which began on Tuesday. This report comes after earlier stories that Machado wore a wig and a disguise to leave her safe house in a suburb of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

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

Funding and American Involvement

He told media the endeavor was financed by “several benefactors” – none of whom were US officials involved. Official US funds were not used, to my knowledge,” Stern asserted.

He said, however, that his group did “unofficially collaborate” with the American armed forces regarding positioning and plans, primarily to prevent being targeted by airstrikes.

Future Plans and Admiration

The opposition leader stated she had American backing to depart 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 that operation, as it worked only 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 said.