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This daring getaway of Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado entailed a long, “scary” and soaking sea crossing in the pitch black of night, as detailed by the American man who says he led the operation.

A Dangerous Nighttime Crossing

The rescue organizer, who leads a nonprofit rescue organisation, detailed the mission in a newly published interview. “It was dangerous. It was terrifying,” said Stern, a US special forces veteran, recounting rough and moonless seas that also provided ideal concealment for the escape.

“The ocean was perfect for our purposes, but not water you'd choose to sail on ... the higher the waves, the more difficult radar detection becomes,” Stern said.

He described rendezvousing with Machado offshore after she departed from the country, where she had been lying low for over a year due to fear of persecution by the administration of President Nicolás Maduro.

A Detailed Escape Plan

She boarded his boat for a half-day journey to an secret location to catch a plane, as part of orchestrated just four days earlier. The operation occurred at midnight – very little moon, a little bit of cloud cover, extremely low visibility, vessels running dark. All of us were pretty wet. My team and I were soaked to the gills. She was also chilled and wet. She had a very arduous journey,” Stern added.

Regarding her state, he commented, “She was very happy. She was thrilled. She was exhausted,” and noted about two dozen people were directly involved within his team.

Verification and Disguise

A representative for Machado confirmed that Stern’s company was responsible for the operation, which began on Tuesday. This report comes after earlier stories that Machado wore a wig and a disguise to flee her hideout in a suburb of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

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

Funding and American Involvement

He told media the endeavor was financed by “a few generous donors” – none of whom were US government figures involved. “The US government did not contribute a single penny, to my knowledge,” Stern said.

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

Future Plans and Inspiration

Machado said she had US support to depart Venezuela. She has announced plans to go back, though the specifics remain uncertain how or when.

Stern said his group would play no part in a return mission, as it focuses exclusively on extracting individuals from countries, not in. “She must decide that and for her to decide. But I think she should not go back. Yet she is determined. Maria is truly inspirational,” he concluded.