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The daring getaway of political leader 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 mission.

The Dangerous Nighttime Crossing

Bryan Stern, who leads a rescue nonprofit, detailed the mission in a newly published interview. It was perilous. It was terrifying,” stated Stern, an ex-special forces operative, recounting rough and moonless seas that also provided convenient cover for the flight.

“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 the country, where she had been lying low for over a year fearing persecution by the government of President Nicolás Maduro.

The Step-by-Step Escape Plan

Machado embarked on his boat for a 13- to 14-hour journey to an undisclosed location to catch a plane, as part of orchestrated just days before. “This was in the middle of the night – very little moon, some cloud coverage, extremely low visibility, vessels running dark. Everyone was quite damp. 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 commented, She was elated. She was very excited. She was exhausted,” adding that about two dozen people were directly involved within his organization.

Confirmation and Concealment

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

Stern did not divulge details about the ground segment, citing his company’s future work in the region.

Funding and US Role

He stated publicly the mission was financed by “several benefactors” – with no US government figures involved. Official US funds were not used, to my knowledge,” 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 US support to leave Venezuela. She has announced plans to go back, 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 extracting individuals from countries, not in. “That’s for her to determine and for her to decide. But I think she should not go back. Yet she is determined. Maria is truly inspirational,” he said.