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

The Perilous Nocturnal Crossing

Bryan Stern, who leads a rescue nonprofit, detailed the mission in a recent interview. It was perilous. It was terrifying,” stated Stern, a US special forces veteran, recounting dark and choppy conditions that also provided convenient cover for the flight.

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

He recalled rendezvousing with Machado offshore after she left the country, where she had been in hiding since August 2024 due to fear of targeting by the administration of President Nicolás Maduro.

The Detailed Extraction

She boarded his boat for a 13- to 14-hour journey to an undisclosed location to catch a plane, in a mission orchestrated just four days earlier. “This was in the middle of the night – very little moon, some cloud coverage, extremely low visibility, boats have no lights. Everyone was quite damp. My crew and I were drenched. She was pretty cold and wet, too. She endured a grueling passage,” Stern added.

Describing her condition, he said, She was elated. She was thrilled. She was exhausted,” and noted about twenty-four people were directly involved within his organization.

Confirmation and Disguise

Spokespeople 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 leave her hideout in a suburb of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

The veteran declined to share details about the land operation, referencing his company’s future work in the country.

Funding and American Involvement

He stated publicly the mission was funded through “several benefactors” – none of whom were US government figures involved. Official US funds were not used, at least not that I know of,” Stern said.

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

Future Plans and Admiration

Machado said she had US support to leave Venezuela. She has declared her intention to return home, though it is not clear the method or timing.

Stern said his group would not be involved in that operation, as it worked only on extracting individuals from countries, not bringing them back. “That’s for her to determine and for her to decide. Personally, I advise against returning. But she wants to. Maria is truly inspirational,” he concluded.