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The audacious escape of political leader María Corina Machado involved a long, frightening and very wet sea crossing in the dead of night, as detailed by the American man who claims to have commanded the operation.

The Perilous Nocturnal Crossing

The rescue organizer, who leads a rescue nonprofit, outlined the mission in a newly published media appearance. It was perilous. It was scary,” said Stern, an ex-special forces operative, recounting dark and choppy conditions that also provided convenient cover for the flight.

“The sea conditions were ideal for us, but certainly not water that you would want to be on ... the higher the waves, the more difficult radar detection becomes,” he remarked.

He described rendezvousing with Machado offshore after she departed from the country, where she had been in hiding since August 2024 due to fear of persecution by the government of President Nicolás Maduro.

The Detailed Extraction

Machado embarked on his boat for a 13- to 14-hour trip to an secret location to catch a plane, in a mission orchestrated just days before. “This was in the middle of the night – minimal moonlight, a little bit of cloud cover, very hard to see, vessels running dark. All of us were pretty wet. My crew and I were drenched. She was also chilled and wet. She endured a grueling passage,” Stern added.

Describing her condition, he said, “She was very happy. She was thrilled. She was very tired,” and noted about two dozen people were directly involved within his team.

Verification and Disguise

Spokespeople for Machado confirmed that Stern’s foundation was responsible for the operation, which began on Tuesday. This account comes after previous reporting that Machado wore a wig and a disguise to flee her safe house in a outskirts of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

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

Funding and American Role

He stated publicly the endeavor was funded through “several benefactors” – none of whom were US officials involved. “The US government did not contribute a single penny, to my knowledge,” Stern said.

He clarified, though, that his group did “unofficially collaborate” with the US military regarding positioning and plans, largely to avoid being mistakenly fired upon.

Future Plans and Admiration

The opposition leader stated she had American backing to leave Venezuela. She has announced plans to go back, though it is not clear the method or timing.

Stern indicated his group would play no part in a return mission, as it focuses exclusively on extracting individuals from countries, not bringing them back. “That’s for her to determine for herself. Personally, I advise against returning. But she wants to. Maria is truly inspirational,” he concluded.