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The audacious getaway of political leader María Corina Machado involved a long, “scary” and very wet boat journey in the dead of night, according to the American man who claims to have commanded the mission.

The Dangerous Nocturnal Crossing

The rescue organizer, who leads a nonprofit rescue organisation, outlined the mission in a recent interview. It was perilous. It was scary,” said Stern, a US special forces veteran, describing dark and choppy conditions that also provided convenient cover for the escape.

“The sea conditions were ideal for us, 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 rendezvousing with Machado offshore after she left Venezuela, where she had been in hiding for over a year fearing persecution by the administration of President Nicolás Maduro.

The Step-by-Step Extraction

She boarded his boat for a 13- to 14-hour journey to an secret location to catch a plane, in a mission planned just four days earlier. The operation occurred at midnight – very little moon, 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 also chilled and wet. She endured a grueling passage,” Stern noted.

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

Verification and Concealment

Spokespeople for Machado confirmed that Stern’s company was responsible for the extraction, which began on Tuesday. This account comes after previous reporting that Machado wore a wig and a disguise to flee her hideout in a suburb of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

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

Funding 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, at least not that I know of,” Stern said.

He clarified, though, that his group did “unofficially collaborate” with the US military regarding positioning and plans, largely to avoid being targeted by airstrikes.

Next Steps and Admiration

The opposition leader stated she had US support to leave Venezuela. She has announced plans to return home, though the specifics remain uncertain how or when.

Stern said his group would play no part in a return mission, as it worked only on getting people out of countries, not bringing them back. “That’s for her to determine for herself. But I think she should not go back. But she wants to. Maria is truly inspirational,” he concluded.