🔗 Share this article

The audacious getaway of Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado involved a lengthy, frightening and soaking boat journey in the pitch black of night, as detailed by the American man who claims to have commanded the operation.

A Perilous Nighttime Voyage

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

“The sea conditions were ideal for us, but not water you'd choose to sail 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 in hiding since August 2024 fearing targeting by the government of President Nicolás Maduro.

A Detailed Extraction

Machado embarked on his boat for a 13- to 14-hour journey to an secret location to catch a plane, in a mission planned just days before. “This was in the middle of the night – very little moon, 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.

Regarding her state, he commented, “She was very happy. She was very excited. She was very tired,” adding that about twenty-four people were directly involved within his team.

Confirmation and Concealment

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

Stern did not divulge specifics about the ground segment, referencing his company’s future work in the country.

Financing and American Involvement

He told media the mission was funded through “a few generous donors” – with no US officials involved. “The US government did not contribute a single penny, to my knowledge,” Stern asserted.

He said, however, that his group did coordinate informally with the US military regarding locations and strategy, largely to avoid being mistakenly fired upon.

Future Plans and Admiration

The opposition leader stated she had US support to leave Venezuela. She has announced plans to go back, though the specifics remain uncertain how or when.

Stern said his group would not be involved in a return mission, as it focuses exclusively on extracting individuals from countries, not bringing them back. “She must decide that for herself. Personally, I advise against returning. Yet she is determined. Maria is truly inspirational,” he said.