🔗 Share this article

The audacious getaway of political leader María Corina Machado entailed a long, frightening and very wet boat journey in the pitch black of night, as detailed by the American man who says he led the mission.

A Perilous Nocturnal Voyage

Bryan Stern, who heads a nonprofit rescue organisation, outlined the mission in a newly published media appearance. It was perilous. It was terrifying,” stated Stern, a US special forces veteran, describing dark and choppy conditions that simultaneously offered 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 harder it is for radar to see,” he remarked.

He described meeting Machado out at sea 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 Step-by-Step Escape Plan

Machado embarked on his boat for a half-day trip to an secret location to catch a plane, as part of orchestrated just four days earlier. “This was in the middle of the night – very little moon, some cloud coverage, extremely low visibility, vessels running dark. Everyone was quite damp. 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 elated. She was thrilled. She was exhausted,” adding that about two dozen people were directly involved within his team.

Verification and Concealment

Spokespeople for Machado confirmed that Stern’s company was responsible for the extraction, which commenced earlier in the week. This account comes after earlier stories that Machado wore a wig and a disguise to flee her safe house in a suburb of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

The veteran declined to share specifics about the ground segment, referencing his organization's ongoing operations in the country.

Financing and American Role

He told media the mission was financed by “several benefactors” – none of whom were US government figures involved. Official US funds were not used, to my knowledge,” Stern said.

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

Next Steps and Admiration

The opposition leader stated she had American backing to leave Venezuela. She has announced plans to go back, though the specifics remain uncertain how or when.

Stern said his group would not be involved in a return mission, as it worked only on getting people out of countries, not bringing them back. “She must decide that for herself. But I think she should not go back. But she wants to. Maria is truly inspirational,” he said.