🔗 Share this article

The daring escape of political leader María Corina Machado involved a long, frightening and soaking sea crossing in the pitch black of night, according to the US veteran who claims to have commanded the operation.

The Dangerous Nighttime Voyage

Bryan Stern, who heads a nonprofit rescue organisation, detailed the mission in a newly published interview. “It was dangerous. It was scary,” stated Stern, an ex-special forces operative, recounting dark and choppy conditions that simultaneously offered ideal concealment for the flight.

“The sea conditions were ideal for us, but certainly not water that you would want to be on ... the bigger the swells, the harder it is for radar to see,” he remarked.

He recalled rendezvousing with Machado offshore 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

She boarded his boat for a 13- to 14-hour journey to an undisclosed location to board a flight, in a mission 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 team and I were soaked to the gills. She was pretty cold and wet, too. She had a very arduous journey,” Stern noted.

Describing her condition, he commented, “She was very happy. She was thrilled. She was exhausted,” and noted about twenty-four people were directly involved within his organization.

Verification and Disguise

A representative for Machado verified that Stern’s foundation was responsible for the extraction, which commenced earlier in the week. This account follows previous reporting that Machado wore a wig and a disguise to flee her safe house in a outskirts of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

Stern did not divulge specifics about the land operation, referencing his organization's ongoing operations in the region.

Financing and US Involvement

He stated publicly the endeavor was financed by “a few generous donors” – with no US government figures involved. Official US funds were not used, to my knowledge,” Stern said.

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

Next Steps and Inspiration

Machado said she had US support to leave Venezuela. She has announced plans to return home, though it is not clear the method or timing.

Stern indicated his group would play no part in that operation, as it worked only on extracting individuals from countries, not bringing them back. “She must decide that and for her to decide. But I think she should not go back. Yet she is determined. Maria is truly inspirational,” he said.