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This daring escape of Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado entailed a long, “scary” and soaking boat journey in the pitch black of night, according to the US veteran who says he led the operation.

A Dangerous Nighttime Voyage

The rescue organizer, who heads a nonprofit rescue organisation, outlined the mission in a newly published interview. “It was dangerous. It was terrifying,” stated Stern, an ex-special forces operative, describing rough and moonless seas that simultaneously offered convenient cover for the escape.

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

He recalled meeting Machado out at sea after she departed from Venezuela, where she had been lying low for over a year fearing targeting by the administration of President Nicolás Maduro.

A Step-by-Step Escape Plan

She boarded his boat for a half-day journey to an undisclosed location to catch a plane, as part of planned just four days earlier. “This was in the middle of the night – very little moon, a little bit of cloud cover, extremely low visibility, vessels running dark. All of us were pretty wet. My crew and I were drenched. She was pretty cold and wet, too. She had a very arduous journey,” Stern noted.

Describing her condition, he commented, She was elated. She was thrilled. She was exhausted,” and noted about two dozen people were actively participating within his team.

Confirmation and Concealment

A representative for Machado verified that Stern’s foundation was responsible for the extraction, which began on Tuesday. This account follows previous reporting that Machado wore a wig and a disguise to flee her safe house in a outskirts of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

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

Financing and American Involvement

He stated publicly the endeavor was funded through “a few generous donors” – with no US government figures involved. Official US funds were not used, at least not that I know of,” Stern said.

He clarified, though, that his group did coordinate informally with the American armed forces regarding locations and strategy, largely to avoid being mistakenly fired upon.

Next Steps and Admiration

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

Stern indicated his group would play no part in a return mission, as it focuses exclusively on getting people out of countries, not bringing them back. “She must decide that for herself. But I think she should not go back. But she wants to. She is a genuine inspiration,” he said.