🔗 Share this article

This audacious getaway of Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado involved a long, “scary” and very wet sea crossing in the dead of night, as detailed by the American man who claims to have commanded the mission.

A Dangerous Nocturnal Voyage

The rescue organizer, who leads a nonprofit rescue organisation, detailed the operation in a recent interview. “It was dangerous. It was terrifying,” said Stern, an ex-special forces operative, recounting dark and choppy conditions that also provided ideal concealment for the flight.

“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,” he remarked.

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

The Detailed Escape Plan

Machado embarked on his boat for a half-day journey to an undisclosed location to board a flight, as part of planned just days before. “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 had a very arduous journey,” Stern added.

Regarding her state, he commented, She was elated. She was very excited. She was very tired,” adding that about twenty-four people were directly involved within his organization.

Confirmation and Concealment

Spokespeople for Machado verified that Stern’s foundation was behind the operation, which began on Tuesday. This account follows previous reporting that Machado wore a wig and a disguise to flee her hideout in a outskirts of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

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

Funding and American Role

He stated publicly the mission was financed by “a few generous donors” – none of whom were US government figures involved. Official US funds were not used, to my knowledge,” Stern said.

He clarified, though, that his group did “unofficially collaborate” with the American armed forces regarding locations and strategy, largely to avoid being mistakenly fired upon.

Next Steps and Inspiration

The opposition leader stated she had American backing to leave Venezuela. She has announced plans to go back, though the specifics remain uncertain 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. But I think she should not go back. But she wants to. Maria is truly inspirational,” he concluded.