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The daring escape of Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado entailed a lengthy, “scary” and very wet sea crossing in the pitch black of night, as detailed by the US veteran who says he led the operation.

A Perilous Nighttime Voyage

Bryan Stern, who heads a rescue nonprofit, detailed the operation in a recent media appearance. “It was dangerous. It was terrifying,” said Stern, an ex-special forces operative, recounting rough and moonless seas that also provided convenient cover for the escape.

“The sea conditions were ideal for us, but certainly not water that you would want to be on ... the higher the waves, the more difficult radar detection becomes,” Stern said.

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

The Step-by-Step Extraction

She boarded his boat for a half-day journey to an secret location to catch a plane, in a mission planned just four days earlier. “This was in the middle of the night – 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.

Regarding her state, he commented, She was elated. She was very excited. She was exhausted,” and noted about two dozen people were actively participating within his organization.

Confirmation and Concealment

A representative for Machado confirmed that Stern’s foundation 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 company’s future work in the country.

Financing and US Involvement

He stated publicly the mission was financed by “several benefactors” – with no US officials involved. “The US government did not contribute a single penny, to my knowledge,” Stern said.

He clarified, though, that his group did coordinate informally with the US military regarding locations and strategy, largely to avoid being targeted by airstrikes.

Next Steps and Inspiration

The opposition leader stated 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 not be involved in that operation, as it focuses exclusively on getting people out of countries, not in. “She must decide that and for her to decide. Personally, I advise against returning. Yet she is determined. Maria is truly inspirational,” he said.