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The audacious escape of political leader María Corina Machado entailed a long, frightening and very wet sea crossing in the pitch black of night, according to the American man who says he led the operation.

The Perilous Nighttime Voyage

The rescue organizer, who leads a nonprofit rescue organisation, detailed the mission in a recent media appearance. It was perilous. It was scary,” said Stern, an ex-special forces operative, describing dark and choppy conditions that also provided ideal concealment for the flight.

“The ocean was perfect for our purposes, but not water you'd choose to sail on ... the bigger the swells, the more difficult radar detection becomes,” he remarked.

He described meeting Machado out at sea after she left Venezuela, where she had been lying low for over a year due to fear of persecution by the administration of President Nicolás Maduro.

The Detailed Escape Plan

She boarded his boat for a half-day journey to an secret location to catch a plane, as part of planned just four days earlier. “This was in the middle of the night – minimal moonlight, 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 noted.

Regarding her state, he said, “She was very happy. She was very excited. She was exhausted,” adding that about two dozen people were directly involved within his organization.

Verification and Disguise

A representative for Machado verified that Stern’s company was responsible for the operation, which commenced earlier in the week. This account comes after previous reporting that Machado used a wig and costume to leave her safe house in a suburb of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

The veteran declined to share details about the land operation, referencing his organization's ongoing operations in the region.

Financing and American Role

He told media the mission was funded through “several benefactors” – none of whom were US government figures involved. “The US government did not contribute a single penny, to my knowledge,” Stern said.

He clarified, though, that his group did coordinate informally with the American armed forces regarding positioning and plans, primarily to prevent being targeted by airstrikes.

Future Plans and Admiration

Machado said she had US support to depart Venezuela. She has declared her intention to go back, though the specifics remain uncertain the method or timing.

Stern indicated his group would not be involved in a return mission, as it worked only on extracting individuals from countries, not bringing them back. “She must decide that and for her to decide. Personally, I advise against returning. But she wants to. She is a genuine inspiration,” he concluded.