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The daring getaway of Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado entailed a lengthy, frightening and very wet sea crossing in the dead of night, as detailed by the American man who claims to have commanded the operation.

A Dangerous Nocturnal Voyage

The rescue organizer, who leads a rescue nonprofit, detailed the mission in a recent media appearance. It was perilous. It was terrifying,” said Stern, a US special forces veteran, describing dark and choppy conditions that also provided convenient cover 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 more difficult radar detection becomes,” Stern said.

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

A Step-by-Step Extraction

She boarded his boat for a half-day trip to an secret location to catch a plane, as part of planned just days before. The operation occurred at midnight – minimal moonlight, some cloud coverage, extremely low visibility, boats have no lights. Everyone was quite damp. My team and I were soaked to the gills. She was also chilled and wet. She had a very arduous journey,” Stern noted.

Describing her condition, he said, She was elated. She was very excited. She was exhausted,” and noted about twenty-four people were actively participating within his organization.

Verification and Concealment

Spokespeople for Machado verified that Stern’s company was behind the operation, which began on Tuesday. This report comes after previous reporting that Machado used a wig and costume to leave her hideout in a suburb of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

The veteran declined to share details about the land operation, citing his organization's ongoing operations in the region.

Funding and US Role

He told media the endeavor was financed by “a few generous donors” – with no US government figures involved. Official US funds were not used, 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 American backing to depart Venezuela. She has announced plans to return home, though it is not clear the method or timing.

Stern said his group would play no part in that operation, as it focuses exclusively on extracting individuals from countries, not in. “She must decide that and for her to decide. But I think she should not go back. But she wants to. Maria is truly inspirational,” he concluded.