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The audacious getaway of Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado involved a long, “scary” and very wet boat journey in the dead of night, as detailed by the American man who claims to have commanded the operation.

A Dangerous Nighttime Voyage

Bryan Stern, who heads a rescue nonprofit, detailed the operation in a recent interview. It was perilous. It was scary,” said Stern, a US special forces veteran, describing rough and moonless seas that also provided convenient cover for the flight.

“The ocean was perfect for our purposes, but not water you'd choose to sail on ... the bigger the swells, the harder it is for radar to see,” he remarked.

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

The Step-by-Step Extraction

She boarded his boat for a half-day trip to an undisclosed location to catch a plane, as part of planned just days before. “This was in the middle of the night – very little moon, some cloud coverage, very hard to see, boats have no lights. All of us were pretty wet. My crew and I were drenched. She was pretty cold and wet, too. She endured a grueling passage,” Stern noted.

Regarding her state, he commented, “She was very happy. She was thrilled. She was exhausted,” and noted about two dozen people were directly involved within his organization.

Confirmation and Disguise

A representative for Machado confirmed that Stern’s company was responsible for the operation, which began on Tuesday. This account comes after previous reporting that Machado used a wig and costume to flee her hideout in a suburb of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

The veteran declined to share specifics about the land operation, referencing his organization's ongoing operations in the country.

Financing and US Involvement

He stated publicly the endeavor was funded through “a few generous donors” – with no US government figures involved. Official US funds were not used, at least not that I know of,” Stern asserted.

He clarified, though, that his group did coordinate informally with the US military regarding locations and strategy, largely to avoid being mistakenly fired upon.

Future Plans and Inspiration

The opposition leader stated she had US support 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 that operation, as it focuses exclusively on getting people out of countries, not bringing them back. “She must decide that and for her to decide. But I think she should not go back. Yet she is determined. Maria is truly inspirational,” he concluded.