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The daring getaway of Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado entailed a long, frightening and very wet boat journey in the dead of night, according to the American man who says he led the mission.

A Perilous Nighttime Voyage

The rescue organizer, who leads a nonprofit rescue organisation, outlined the operation in a newly published interview. It was perilous. It was terrifying,” said Stern, a US special forces veteran, describing dark and choppy conditions that also provided ideal concealment for the flight.

“The sea conditions were ideal for us, but not water you'd choose to sail on ... the bigger the swells, the harder it is for radar to see,” he remarked.

He recalled rendezvousing with Machado offshore after she left the country, where she had been in hiding since August 2024 due to fear of targeting by the administration of President Nicolás Maduro.

The Detailed Escape Plan

She boarded his boat for a 13- to 14-hour trip to an undisclosed location to board a flight, in a mission orchestrated just four days earlier. “This was in the middle of the night – very little moon, some cloud coverage, extremely low visibility, boats have no lights. All of us were pretty wet. My team and I were soaked to the gills. She was pretty cold and wet, too. She had a very arduous journey,” Stern noted.

Regarding her state, he commented, “She was very happy. She was thrilled. She was very tired,” and noted about twenty-four people were actively participating within his team.

Confirmation and Disguise

A representative for Machado verified that Stern’s company was responsible for the operation, which began on Tuesday. This report comes after 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 country.

Financing and American Role

He stated publicly the endeavor was funded through “several benefactors” – with no US officials involved. “The US government did not contribute a single penny, at least not that I know of,” Stern asserted.

He clarified, though, that his group did “unofficially collaborate” with the American armed forces regarding positioning and plans, primarily to prevent 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 go back, though it is not clear the method or timing.

Stern said his group would play no part in that operation, as it worked only on extracting individuals from countries, not bringing them back. “That’s for her to determine for herself. But I think she should not go back. But she wants to. Maria is truly inspirational,” he concluded.