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The audacious getaway of Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado entailed a lengthy, “scary” and very wet sea crossing in the dead of night, as detailed by the US veteran who claims to have commanded the mission.

A Perilous Nighttime Crossing

The rescue organizer, who heads a nonprofit rescue organisation, outlined the mission in a newly published interview. It was perilous. It was scary,” stated Stern, an ex-special forces operative, describing dark and choppy conditions that simultaneously offered convenient cover for the flight.

“The ocean was perfect for our purposes, but certainly not water that you would want to be on ... the bigger the swells, the more difficult radar detection becomes,” Stern said.

He recalled meeting Machado out at sea after she departed from Venezuela, where she had been lying low for over a year fearing persecution by the government of President Nicolás Maduro.

The Step-by-Step Escape Plan

She boarded his boat for a half-day journey to an secret location to catch a plane, in a mission planned just days before. The operation occurred at midnight – very little moon, a little bit of cloud cover, very hard to see, vessels running dark. Everyone was quite damp. My crew and I were drenched. She was pretty cold and wet, too. She had a very arduous journey,” Stern added.

Regarding her state, he said, She was elated. She was thrilled. She was exhausted,” adding that about twenty-four people were actively participating within his organization.

Confirmation and Concealment

A representative for Machado verified that Stern’s company was responsible for the operation, which commenced earlier in the week. This report comes after earlier stories that Machado used a wig and costume to leave her hideout in a outskirts of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

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

Funding and American Involvement

He stated publicly the endeavor was funded through “several benefactors” – 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 “unofficially collaborate” with the US military regarding positioning and plans, primarily to prevent being mistakenly fired upon.

Future Plans and Admiration

The opposition leader stated she had American backing to leave Venezuela. She has declared her intention to go back, though it is not clear how or when.

Stern said his group would play no part in that operation, as it focuses exclusively on getting people out of countries, not in. “She must decide that for herself. Personally, I advise against returning. Yet she is determined. She is a genuine inspiration,” he said.