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The audacious getaway of political leader María Corina Machado involved a long, “scary” and very wet boat journey in the dead of night, according to the US veteran who claims to have commanded the operation.

A Dangerous Nighttime Voyage

The rescue organizer, who leads a nonprofit rescue organisation, outlined the mission in a newly published interview. “It was dangerous. It was terrifying,” stated Stern, a US special forces veteran, describing dark and choppy conditions that simultaneously offered convenient cover for the escape.

“The sea conditions were ideal for us, but not water you'd choose to sail on ... the bigger the swells, the harder it is for radar to see,” Stern said.

He recalled rendezvousing with Machado offshore after she departed from Venezuela, where she had been in hiding for over a year due to fear of persecution by the administration of President Nicolás Maduro.

A Detailed Escape Plan

Machado embarked on his boat for a 13- to 14-hour trip to an secret location to catch a plane, as part of planned just four days earlier. “This was in the middle of the night – very little moon, a little bit of cloud cover, extremely low visibility, boats have no lights. All of us were pretty wet. My team and I were soaked to the gills. She was pretty cold and wet, too. She endured a grueling passage,” Stern noted.

Regarding her state, he commented, She was elated. She was very excited. She was exhausted,” adding that about twenty-four people were actively participating within his team.

Confirmation and Concealment

A representative for Machado verified that Stern’s foundation was responsible for the operation, which commenced earlier in the week. This account comes after earlier stories that Machado used a wig and costume to flee her hideout in a suburb of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

Stern did not divulge specifics about the ground segment, referencing his company’s future work in the region.

Financing and US Role

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

He said, however, that his group did coordinate informally with the American armed forces regarding locations and strategy, primarily to prevent being mistakenly fired upon.

Future Plans and Admiration

Machado said she had American backing to leave Venezuela. She has announced plans to go back, though it is not clear the method or timing.

Stern indicated his group would not be involved in a return mission, as it focuses exclusively on extracting individuals from countries, not bringing them back. “She must decide that and for her to decide. But I think she should not go back. But she wants to. She is a genuine inspiration,” he said.