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This audacious getaway of Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado entailed a lengthy, frightening and very wet sea crossing in the pitch black 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 operation in a recent media appearance. It was perilous. It was terrifying,” stated Stern, a US special forces veteran, describing rough and moonless seas that also provided 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 described meeting Machado out at sea after she departed from Venezuela, where she had been lying low for over a year due to fear of targeting by the government of President Nicolás Maduro.

A Detailed Extraction

She boarded his boat for a 13- to 14-hour journey to an secret location to catch a plane, as part of orchestrated just days before. “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 endured a grueling passage,” Stern added.

Regarding her state, he said, She was elated. She was thrilled. She was very tired,” adding that about two dozen people were directly involved within his team.

Verification and Disguise

A representative for Machado confirmed that Stern’s company was responsible for the extraction, which commenced earlier in the week. This report 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 specifics about the land operation, citing his company’s future work in the region.

Funding and US Involvement

He told media the endeavor was funded through “a few generous donors” – none of whom were US government figures involved. “The US government did not contribute a single penny, to my knowledge,” Stern asserted.

He clarified, though, that his group did “unofficially collaborate” with the American armed forces regarding locations and strategy, primarily to prevent being mistakenly fired upon.

Future Plans and Admiration

Machado said she had US support to depart Venezuela. She has declared her intention to go back, though it is not clear how or when.

Stern indicated his group would play no part in that operation, as it worked only on getting people out of countries, not in. “She must decide that for herself. Personally, I advise against returning. But she wants to. She is a genuine inspiration,” he said.