🔗 Share this article

This daring escape of Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado involved a long, frightening and very wet boat journey in the pitch black of night, as detailed by the US veteran who says he led the mission.

The Dangerous Nocturnal Crossing

Bryan Stern, who heads a nonprofit rescue organisation, detailed the operation in a newly published interview. “It was dangerous. It was scary,” stated Stern, a US special forces veteran, recounting rough and moonless seas that also provided ideal concealment for the escape.

“The sea conditions were ideal for us, but not water you'd choose to sail 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 lying low for over a year due to fear of targeting by the administration of President Nicolás Maduro.

A Step-by-Step Extraction

She boarded his boat for a half-day journey to an undisclosed location to catch a plane, as part of orchestrated just days before. The operation occurred at midnight – minimal moonlight, some cloud coverage, very hard to see, boats have no lights. 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 noted.

Describing her condition, he said, “She was very happy. She was very excited. She was very tired,” and noted about twenty-four people were actively participating within his team.

Verification and Concealment

A representative for Machado confirmed that Stern’s company was responsible for the extraction, which commenced earlier in the week. This account follows previous reporting that Machado wore a wig and a disguise to leave her hideout 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 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 said.

He said, however, that his group did coordinate informally with the American armed forces regarding positioning and plans, largely to avoid being targeted by airstrikes.

Future Plans and Inspiration

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

Stern indicated his group would play no part in that operation, as it worked only on extracting individuals from countries, not in. “She must decide that for herself. Personally, I advise against returning. But she wants to. Maria is truly inspirational,” he concluded.