🔗 Share this article

This audacious getaway of Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado involved a lengthy, “scary” and very wet sea crossing in the pitch black of night, as detailed by the US veteran who says he led the mission.

The Perilous Nighttime Crossing

The rescue organizer, who heads a rescue nonprofit, outlined the operation in a newly published interview. It was perilous. It was terrifying,” stated Stern, an ex-special forces operative, recounting dark and choppy conditions that simultaneously offered ideal concealment for the flight.

“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,” Stern said.

He recalled rendezvousing with Machado offshore after she left Venezuela, where she had been in hiding for over a year due to fear of targeting by the government of President Nicolás Maduro.

The Step-by-Step Extraction

Machado embarked on his boat for a half-day trip to an secret location to board a flight, in a mission planned just days before. “This was in the middle of the night – minimal moonlight, a little bit of cloud cover, 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,” adding that about two dozen people were directly involved within his organization.

Confirmation and Concealment

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

The veteran declined to share specifics about the ground segment, citing his organization's ongoing operations in the country.

Funding and US Role

He told media the endeavor was financed by “several benefactors” – none of whom were US government figures 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 US military regarding locations and strategy, primarily to prevent being mistakenly fired upon.

Next Steps and Admiration

Machado said she had American backing to leave Venezuela. She has announced plans to go back, though it is not clear how or when.

Stern indicated his group would not be involved in a return mission, as it focuses exclusively on extracting individuals from countries, not in. “She must decide that and for her to decide. Personally, I advise against returning. Yet she is determined. She is a genuine inspiration,” he said.