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The daring getaway of political leader María Corina Machado involved a lengthy, “scary” and soaking sea crossing in the pitch black of night, according to the US veteran who says he led the mission.

A Dangerous Nocturnal Voyage

The rescue organizer, who heads a nonprofit rescue organisation, detailed the operation in a recent media appearance. It was perilous. It was terrifying,” said Stern, an ex-special forces operative, describing rough and moonless seas that also provided convenient cover for the escape.

“The ocean was perfect for our purposes, but certainly not water that you would want to be on ... the bigger the swells, the harder it is for radar to see,” Stern said.

He described meeting Machado out at sea after she departed from the country, where she had been lying low since August 2024 fearing targeting by the government of President Nicolás Maduro.

A Step-by-Step Escape Plan

She boarded his boat for a half-day trip to an undisclosed location to catch a plane, in a mission orchestrated just days before. The operation occurred at midnight – very little moon, some cloud coverage, extremely low visibility, boats have no lights. Everyone was quite damp. 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 elated. She was thrilled. She was very tired,” and noted about two dozen people were directly involved within his team.

Verification and Concealment

A representative for Machado verified that Stern’s company was behind the operation, which began on Tuesday. This account follows earlier stories that Machado wore a wig and a disguise to leave her hideout in a suburb of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

Stern did not divulge specifics about the land operation, citing his organization's ongoing operations in the region.

Financing and American Role

He told media the endeavor was financed by “a few generous donors” – with no US officials involved. Official US funds were not used, to my knowledge,” Stern said.

He said, however, that his group did coordinate informally with the American armed forces regarding positioning and plans, largely to avoid being mistakenly fired upon.

Next Steps and Admiration

The opposition leader stated she had US support to leave Venezuela. She has declared her intention to return home, though the specifics remain uncertain the method or timing.

Stern said his group would not be involved in a return mission, 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. But she wants to. She is a genuine inspiration,” he concluded.