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The audacious escape of political leader María Corina Machado entailed a long, frightening and soaking boat journey in the pitch black of night, according to the US veteran who says he led the operation.

A Dangerous Nocturnal Crossing

Bryan Stern, who leads a nonprofit rescue organisation, outlined the operation in a newly published interview. It was perilous. It was scary,” stated Stern, a US special forces veteran, recounting dark and choppy conditions that also provided ideal concealment for the flight.

“The ocean was perfect for our purposes, but certainly not water that you would want to be on ... the higher the waves, the more difficult radar detection becomes,” he remarked.

He described rendezvousing with Machado offshore after she left Venezuela, where she had been in hiding for over a year fearing targeting by the administration of President Nicolás Maduro.

A Step-by-Step Extraction

She boarded his boat for a 13- to 14-hour 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, 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.

Regarding her state, he said, She was elated. She was thrilled. She was very tired,” and noted about twenty-four people were actively participating within his organization.

Verification and Disguise

A representative for Machado confirmed 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 outskirts of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

The veteran declined to share specifics about the land operation, citing his company’s future work in the region.

Funding and American Role

He stated publicly the endeavor was financed by “a few generous donors” – with no US government figures involved. “The US government did not contribute a single penny, at least not that I know of,” Stern said.

He clarified, though, that his group did “unofficially collaborate” with the US military regarding positioning and plans, primarily to prevent being targeted by airstrikes.

Next Steps and Admiration

The opposition leader stated she had American backing to leave Venezuela. She has declared her intention to go back, 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 extracting individuals from countries, not bringing them back. “She must decide that for herself. Personally, I advise against returning. Yet she is determined. She is a genuine inspiration,” he said.