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The audacious escape of Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado entailed a long, “scary” and soaking sea crossing in the dead of night, according to the American man who claims to have commanded the mission.

The Dangerous Nighttime Crossing

The rescue organizer, who leads a rescue nonprofit, detailed the mission in a recent media appearance. It was perilous. It was terrifying,” stated Stern, a US special forces veteran, recounting dark and choppy conditions that simultaneously offered convenient cover for the escape.

“The ocean was perfect for our purposes, but certainly not water that you would want to be on ... the higher the waves, the more difficult radar detection becomes,” Stern said.

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

A Step-by-Step Escape Plan

She boarded his boat for a 13- to 14-hour trip to an secret location to catch a plane, as part of planned just days before. The operation occurred at midnight – minimal moonlight, some cloud coverage, extremely low visibility, vessels running dark. All of us were pretty wet. My crew and I were drenched. She was pretty cold and wet, too. She had a very arduous journey,” Stern noted.

Describing her condition, he said, “She was very happy. She was very excited. She was exhausted,” and noted about twenty-four people were actively participating within his organization.

Verification and Concealment

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

Stern did not divulge details about the land operation, citing his organization's ongoing operations in the country.

Financing and US Involvement

He stated publicly the endeavor was financed by “several benefactors” – none of whom were US officials involved. Official US funds were not used, to my knowledge,” Stern asserted.

He clarified, though, that his group did “unofficially collaborate” with the US military regarding positioning and plans, largely to avoid being targeted by airstrikes.

Future Plans and Inspiration

The opposition leader stated she had American backing to depart Venezuela. She has announced plans to return home, though it is not clear how or when.

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