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The audacious escape of Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado entailed a long, frightening and very wet boat journey in the pitch black of night, according to the US veteran who claims to have commanded the operation.

The Perilous Nocturnal Crossing

Bryan Stern, who leads a nonprofit rescue organisation, detailed the mission in a newly published interview. It was perilous. It was terrifying,” said Stern, a US special forces veteran, recounting dark and choppy conditions that simultaneously offered ideal concealment for the escape.

“The ocean was perfect for our purposes, but certainly not water that you would want to be on ... the bigger the swells, the more difficult radar detection becomes,” he remarked.

He recalled meeting Machado out at sea after she departed from the country, where she had been in hiding since August 2024 fearing persecution by the government of President Nicolás Maduro.

The Step-by-Step Escape Plan

Machado embarked on his boat for a 13- to 14-hour trip to an undisclosed location to catch a plane, in a mission planned just days before. The operation occurred at midnight – minimal moonlight, 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 endured a grueling passage,” Stern noted.

Regarding her state, he commented, She was elated. She was thrilled. She was very tired,” adding that about two dozen people were actively participating within his organization.

Verification and Concealment

A representative for Machado confirmed that Stern’s company was responsible for the operation, which began on Tuesday. This report follows previous reporting that Machado used a wig and costume to leave her hideout in a outskirts of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

The veteran declined to share specifics about the ground segment, citing his company’s future work in the region.

Financing and US Role

He stated publicly the endeavor was funded through “a few generous donors” – none of whom were US government figures involved. Official US funds were not used, at least not that I know of,” Stern asserted.

He said, however, that his group did coordinate informally with the US military regarding locations and strategy, largely to avoid being targeted by airstrikes.

Next Steps and Admiration

The opposition leader stated she had American backing to depart 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 that operation, as it worked only on getting people out of countries, not in. “That’s for her to determine for herself. Personally, I advise against returning. But she wants to. She is a genuine inspiration,” he said.