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The audacious getaway of Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado involved a long, frightening and very wet boat journey in the dead of night, according to the US veteran who claims to have commanded the operation.

A Perilous Nocturnal Voyage

Bryan Stern, who heads a nonprofit rescue organisation, detailed the operation in a newly published interview. It was perilous. It was terrifying,” stated Stern, a US special forces veteran, describing rough and moonless seas that also provided ideal concealment for the flight.

“The ocean was perfect for our purposes, but not water you'd choose to sail on ... the higher the waves, the harder it is for radar to see,” Stern said.

He recalled rendezvousing with Machado offshore after she left the country, where she had been in hiding since August 2024 due to fear of targeting by the administration of President Nicolás Maduro.

The Step-by-Step Escape Plan

She boarded his boat for a half-day trip to an secret location to catch a plane, in a mission planned just four days earlier. The operation occurred at midnight – 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 pretty cold and wet, too. She had a very arduous journey,” Stern noted.

Describing her condition, he said, “She was very happy. She was very excited. She was very tired,” and noted about two dozen people were actively participating within his organization.

Verification and Concealment

A representative for Machado confirmed that Stern’s company was responsible for the operation, which commenced earlier in the week. This account comes after previous reporting 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 land operation, referencing his organization's ongoing operations in the region.

Financing and US Role

He stated publicly the mission was financed by “a few generous donors” – with no US government figures involved. Official US funds were not used, to my knowledge,” Stern asserted.

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 Inspiration

The opposition leader stated she had American backing to leave Venezuela. She has announced plans to go back, 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. “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.