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This audacious getaway of political leader María Corina Machado involved a long, “scary” and very wet sea crossing in the pitch black of night, according to the US veteran who claims to have commanded the mission.

The Dangerous Nocturnal Voyage

The rescue organizer, who heads a rescue nonprofit, detailed the mission in a recent 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 escape.

“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 described rendezvousing with Machado offshore after she departed from the country, where she had been in hiding for over a year fearing targeting by the government of President Nicolás Maduro.

The Step-by-Step Extraction

She boarded his boat for a 13- to 14-hour journey to an undisclosed location to catch a plane, as part of planned just four days earlier. “This was in the middle of the night – very little moon, a little bit of cloud cover, extremely low visibility, vessels running dark. Everyone was quite damp. My crew and I were drenched. She was also chilled and wet. She had a very arduous journey,” Stern noted.

Describing her condition, he said, “She was very happy. She was very excited. She was exhausted,” and noted about twenty-four people were directly involved within his organization.

Verification and Concealment

Spokespeople for Machado verified that Stern’s foundation was responsible for the extraction, which commenced earlier in the week. This account comes after previous reporting that Machado used a wig and costume to leave her hideout in a outskirts of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

The veteran declined to share specifics about the ground segment, citing his company’s future work in the country.

Funding and US Role

He stated publicly the mission was financed by “several benefactors” – none of whom were 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 American armed forces regarding positioning and plans, primarily to prevent being targeted by airstrikes.

Future Plans and Admiration

Machado said she had American backing to leave Venezuela. She has announced plans to return home, though the specifics remain uncertain the method or timing.

Stern said his group would play no part in a return mission, as it worked only on getting people out of countries, not bringing them back. “That’s for her to determine and for her to decide. But I think she should not go back. But she wants to. She is a genuine inspiration,” he said.