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This audacious escape of Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado involved a long, frightening and very wet boat journey in the dead of night, as detailed by the American man who says he led the mission.

A Dangerous Nighttime Crossing

Bryan Stern, who leads a nonprofit rescue organisation, outlined the operation in a recent interview. It was perilous. It was terrifying,” stated Stern, an ex-special forces operative, describing rough and moonless seas that also provided ideal concealment for the escape.

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

He recalled rendezvousing with Machado offshore after she left Venezuela, where she had been in hiding for over a year fearing targeting by the government of President Nicolás Maduro.

The Step-by-Step Escape Plan

Machado embarked on his boat for a 13- to 14-hour trip to an undisclosed location to board a flight, as part of planned just days before. “This was in the middle of the night – minimal moonlight, some cloud coverage, very hard to see, vessels running dark. All of us were pretty wet. My crew and I were drenched. She was pretty cold and wet, too. She had a very arduous journey,” Stern added.

Describing her condition, he said, She was elated. She was very excited. She was exhausted,” adding that about two dozen people were directly involved within his organization.

Confirmation and Disguise

A representative for Machado verified that Stern’s company was responsible for the extraction, which commenced earlier in the week. This account comes after previous reporting that Machado wore a wig and a disguise to leave her hideout in a suburb of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

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

Financing and US Role

He stated publicly the mission was funded through “a few generous donors” – none of whom were US officials 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 American armed forces regarding locations and strategy, 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 return home, though the specifics remain uncertain the method or timing.

Stern indicated his group would not be involved in that operation, as it focuses exclusively 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. Yet she is determined. She is a genuine inspiration,” he said.