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This audacious escape of political leader María Corina Machado involved a lengthy, “scary” and soaking sea crossing in the pitch black of night, according to the American man who says he led the mission.

The Perilous Nighttime Voyage

The rescue organizer, who heads a nonprofit rescue organisation, outlined the mission in a recent media appearance. It was perilous. It was scary,” stated Stern, a US special forces veteran, describing dark and choppy conditions that simultaneously offered convenient cover for the escape.

“The ocean was perfect for our purposes, but not water you'd choose to sail on ... the higher the waves, the more difficult radar detection becomes,” Stern said.

He described meeting Machado out at sea after she left Venezuela, where she had been in hiding since August 2024 due to fear of persecution by the administration of President Nicolás Maduro.

A Step-by-Step Extraction

Machado embarked on his boat for a half-day journey to an undisclosed location to board a flight, as part of planned just four days earlier. The operation occurred at midnight – very little moon, some cloud coverage, 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.

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

Confirmation and Disguise

Spokespeople for Machado confirmed that Stern’s foundation was responsible for the operation, which began on Tuesday. This account follows previous reporting that Machado used a wig and costume to leave her safe house in a suburb of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

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

Financing and American Role

He stated publicly the endeavor was funded through “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 said, however, that his group did “unofficially collaborate” with the US military regarding locations and strategy, largely to avoid being mistakenly fired upon.

Future Plans and Admiration

Machado said she had US support to leave Venezuela. She has declared her intention to return home, though the specifics remain uncertain how or when.

Stern said his group would play no part in that operation, as it focuses exclusively on extracting individuals from countries, not in. “That’s for her to determine and for her to decide. But I think she should not go back. Yet she is determined. Maria is truly inspirational,” he concluded.