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This audacious escape of Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado involved a lengthy, “scary” and soaking sea crossing in the dead of night, according to the American man who claims to have commanded the operation.

A Perilous Nocturnal Voyage

The rescue organizer, who heads a rescue nonprofit, detailed the mission in a newly published media appearance. It was perilous. It was scary,” stated Stern, an ex-special forces operative, recounting rough and moonless seas that simultaneously offered 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 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 for over a year due to fear of persecution by the government of President Nicolás Maduro.

The Detailed Extraction

Machado embarked on his boat for a 13- to 14-hour journey to an undisclosed location to catch a plane, as part of orchestrated just days before. “This was in the middle of the night – minimal moonlight, a little bit of cloud cover, extremely low visibility, boats have no lights. All of us were pretty wet. My team and I were soaked to the gills. She was also chilled and wet. She had a very arduous journey,” Stern noted.

Describing her condition, he commented, She was elated. She was very excited. She was exhausted,” and noted about two dozen people were actively participating within his organization.

Confirmation and Disguise

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

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

Financing and US Involvement

He stated publicly the mission was funded through “several benefactors” – none of whom were US government figures involved. Official US funds were not used, at least not that I know of,” Stern asserted.

He said, however, that his group did “unofficially collaborate” with the American armed forces regarding positioning and plans, largely to avoid being mistakenly fired upon.

Next Steps and Inspiration

The opposition leader stated she had American backing to depart Venezuela. She has announced plans to go back, though the specifics remain uncertain how or when.

Stern said his group would play no part in that operation, as it focuses exclusively on getting people out of countries, not in. “That’s for her to determine and for her to decide. Personally, I advise against returning. Yet she is determined. She is a genuine inspiration,” he concluded.