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

A Perilous Nighttime Voyage

The rescue organizer, who heads a nonprofit rescue organisation, outlined the mission in a newly published media appearance. It was perilous. It was terrifying,” stated Stern, a US special forces veteran, describing dark and choppy conditions that also provided ideal concealment for the flight.

“The sea conditions were ideal for us, but not water you'd choose to sail on ... the bigger the swells, the harder it is for radar to see,” he remarked.

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

A Detailed Extraction

She boarded his boat for a 13- to 14-hour journey to an secret location to board a flight, as part of planned just days before. “This was in the middle of the night – very little moon, some cloud coverage, extremely low visibility, 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 added.

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

Verification and Concealment

A representative for Machado verified that Stern’s foundation was responsible for the operation, which began on Tuesday. This account follows earlier stories that Machado used a wig and costume to leave her safe house in a suburb of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

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

Financing and US Involvement

He told media the endeavor was funded through “several benefactors” – 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, primarily to prevent being mistakenly fired upon.

Next Steps and Admiration

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

Stern said his group would play no part in a return mission, 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.