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The audacious getaway of Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado involved a long, frightening and soaking sea crossing in the pitch black of night, according to the American man who says he led the operation.

The Perilous Nocturnal Crossing

Bryan Stern, who leads a rescue nonprofit, outlined the operation in a recent interview. “It was dangerous. It was scary,” stated Stern, a US special forces veteran, recounting 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 more difficult radar detection becomes,” he remarked.

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

A Step-by-Step Escape Plan

She boarded his boat for a half-day journey to an secret location to catch a plane, as part of orchestrated just four days earlier. The operation occurred at midnight – minimal moonlight, some cloud coverage, very hard to see, vessels running dark. Everyone was quite damp. 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 thrilled. She was very tired,” adding that about two dozen people were directly involved within his team.

Confirmation and Disguise

A representative for Machado verified that Stern’s company was responsible for the extraction, which began on Tuesday. This account comes after earlier stories that Machado wore a wig and a disguise to leave her safe house in a suburb of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

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

Financing and US Involvement

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

He said, however, that his group did “unofficially collaborate” with the US military regarding positioning and plans, primarily to prevent being targeted by airstrikes.

Next Steps and Inspiration

The opposition leader stated she had American backing to leave Venezuela. She has announced plans to go back, though it is not clear the method or timing.

Stern said his group would not be involved in a return mission, as it focuses exclusively on getting people out of countries, not in. “She must decide that for herself. Personally, I advise against returning. But she wants to. Maria is truly inspirational,” he said.