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This daring getaway of Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado involved a long, “scary” and very wet boat journey in the dead of night, according to the American man who says he led the mission.

A Dangerous Nighttime Voyage

Bryan Stern, who heads a nonprofit rescue organisation, detailed the mission in a recent media appearance. It was perilous. It was terrifying,” said Stern, an ex-special forces operative, describing rough and moonless seas 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 harder it is for radar to see,” he remarked.

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

The Detailed Escape Plan

She boarded his boat for a half-day trip to an secret location to catch a plane, as part of orchestrated just days before. “This was in the middle of the night – minimal moonlight, some cloud coverage, very hard to see, vessels running dark. All of us were pretty wet. My crew and I were drenched. She was pretty cold and wet, too. She endured a grueling passage,” Stern added.

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

Verification and Concealment

Spokespeople for Machado verified that Stern’s company was behind the extraction, which began on Tuesday. This account comes after earlier stories that Machado used a wig and costume to flee her hideout 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 Involvement

He told media the mission was funded through “a few generous donors” – with no US officials involved. “The US government did not contribute a single penny, to my knowledge,” Stern asserted.

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

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 the method or timing.

Stern indicated 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. Yet she is determined. She is a genuine inspiration,” he said.