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The audacious getaway of Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado involved a lengthy, “scary” and very wet sea crossing in the pitch black of night, according to the American man who claims to have commanded the mission.

A Perilous Nighttime Crossing

Bryan Stern, who leads a nonprofit rescue organisation, outlined the mission in a newly published media appearance. “It was dangerous. It was scary,” said Stern, a US special forces veteran, describing rough and moonless seas that simultaneously offered ideal concealment 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 harder it is for radar to see,” Stern said.

He recalled meeting Machado out at sea after she departed from Venezuela, where she had been in hiding for over a year due to fear of targeting by the government of President Nicolás Maduro.

The Detailed Escape Plan

She boarded his boat for a 13- to 14-hour trip to an undisclosed location to catch a plane, as part of orchestrated just days before. The operation occurred at midnight – minimal moonlight, 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 commented, She was elated. She was thrilled. She was exhausted,” and noted about twenty-four people were directly involved within his team.

Confirmation and Disguise

Spokespeople for Machado confirmed that Stern’s foundation was behind the extraction, which began on Tuesday. This report comes after earlier stories that Machado wore a wig and a disguise to flee her hideout in a outskirts of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

The veteran declined to share details about the ground segment, referencing his organization's ongoing operations in the country.

Funding and American Role

He told media the endeavor was funded through “several benefactors” – none of whom were US government figures involved. Official US funds were not used, to my knowledge,” Stern asserted.

He said, however, that his group did “unofficially collaborate” with the American armed forces regarding positioning and plans, primarily to prevent being mistakenly fired upon.

Next Steps and Inspiration

The opposition leader stated she had American backing to depart Venezuela. She has announced plans to return home, though it is not clear how or when.

Stern indicated his group would not be involved in that operation, 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. Maria is truly inspirational,” he concluded.