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This audacious escape of political leader María Corina Machado involved a lengthy, frightening and very wet sea crossing in the dead of night, as detailed by the US veteran who says he led the mission.

A Dangerous Nighttime Crossing

Bryan Stern, who leads a nonprofit rescue organisation, outlined the operation in a recent media appearance. It was perilous. It was scary,” said Stern, a US special forces veteran, describing rough and moonless seas that also provided ideal concealment for the flight.

“The sea conditions were ideal for us, but not water you'd choose to sail on ... the bigger the swells, the more difficult radar detection becomes,” Stern said.

He described rendezvousing with Machado offshore after she left Venezuela, where she had been lying low since August 2024 due to fear of targeting by the government of President Nicolás Maduro.

A Step-by-Step Escape Plan

Machado embarked on his boat for a 13- to 14-hour journey to an secret location to catch a plane, in a mission orchestrated just four days earlier. The operation occurred at midnight – minimal moonlight, some cloud coverage, very hard to see, boats have no lights. Everyone was quite damp. My team and I were soaked to the gills. She was pretty cold and wet, too. She endured a grueling passage,” Stern noted.

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

Confirmation and Concealment

Spokespeople for Machado verified that Stern’s foundation was responsible for the operation, which began on Tuesday. This report follows previous reporting that Machado wore a wig and a disguise to flee 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 region.

Funding and American Role

He stated publicly the mission was funded through “several benefactors” – none of whom were US government figures involved. “The US government did not contribute a single penny, at least not that I know of,” Stern said.

He said, however, that his group did “unofficially collaborate” with the US military regarding locations and strategy, largely to avoid being mistakenly fired upon.

Next Steps and Admiration

Machado said she had American backing to leave Venezuela. She has declared her intention to return home, though the specifics remain uncertain how or when.

Stern indicated his group would play no part in a return mission, as it worked only 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.