🔗 Share this article

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

A Dangerous Nighttime Crossing

Bryan Stern, who leads a nonprofit rescue organisation, detailed the mission in a newly published interview. “It was dangerous. It was scary,” stated Stern, an ex-special forces operative, describing dark and choppy conditions that simultaneously offered ideal concealment for the escape.

“The ocean was perfect for our purposes, but not water you'd choose to sail on ... the higher the waves, the more difficult radar detection becomes,” he remarked.

He described rendezvousing with Machado offshore after she departed from Venezuela, where she had been lying low for over a year fearing targeting by the government of President Nicolás Maduro.

A Detailed Escape Plan

Machado embarked on his boat for a 13- to 14-hour trip to an secret location to board a flight, in a mission orchestrated just days before. The operation occurred at midnight – minimal moonlight, a little bit of cloud cover, very hard to see, vessels running dark. Everyone was quite damp. My team and I were soaked to the gills. She was pretty cold and wet, too. She had a very arduous journey,” Stern added.

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

Verification and Concealment

Spokespeople for Machado confirmed that Stern’s company was behind the extraction, which commenced earlier in the week. This account follows earlier stories that Machado used a wig and costume to leave her hideout in a outskirts of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

The veteran declined to share details about the land operation, referencing his company’s future work in the region.

Financing and American Role

He told media the endeavor was funded through “several benefactors” – none of whom were US officials involved. “The US government did not contribute a single penny, at least not that I know of,” Stern said.

He said, however, that his group did “unofficially collaborate” with the US military regarding locations and strategy, primarily to prevent being mistakenly fired upon.

Future Plans and Inspiration

Machado said she had American backing to leave Venezuela. She has declared her intention 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. “She must decide that and for her to decide. Personally, I advise against returning. Yet she is determined. She is a genuine inspiration,” he said.