🔗 Share this article

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

The Dangerous Nocturnal Voyage

Bryan Stern, who leads a nonprofit rescue organisation, detailed the operation in a recent media appearance. It was perilous. It was terrifying,” stated 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,” Stern said.

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

The Step-by-Step Extraction

Machado embarked on his boat for a half-day journey to an undisclosed location to board a flight, as part of orchestrated just days before. “This was in the middle of the night – very little moon, a little bit of cloud cover, extremely low visibility, boats have no lights. Everyone was quite damp. My crew and I were drenched. She was also chilled and wet. She had a very arduous journey,” Stern noted.

Regarding her state, he commented, “She was very happy. She was very excited. She was very tired,” adding that about two dozen people were actively participating within his team.

Verification and Concealment

Spokespeople for Machado confirmed that Stern’s company was behind the operation, which commenced earlier in the week. This account follows previous reporting that Machado wore a wig and a disguise to leave her hideout in a outskirts of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

Stern did not divulge specifics about the land operation, citing his company’s future work in the region.

Funding and American Role

He told media the mission was financed by “several benefactors” – none of whom were US officials involved. “The US government did not contribute a single penny, to my knowledge,” Stern asserted.

He said, however, that his group did coordinate informally with the US military regarding positioning and plans, largely to avoid being mistakenly fired upon.

Future Plans and Inspiration

Machado said she had US support to depart Venezuela. She has announced plans to go back, though the specifics remain uncertain how or when.

Stern indicated his group would not be involved in that operation, as it focuses exclusively 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.