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

The Perilous Nocturnal Crossing

Bryan Stern, who leads a rescue nonprofit, outlined the mission in a recent media appearance. It was perilous. It was scary,” stated Stern, a US special forces veteran, recounting dark and choppy conditions that also provided ideal concealment for the escape.

“The ocean was perfect for our purposes, but not water you'd choose to sail on ... the higher the waves, the harder it is for radar to see,” Stern said.

He described meeting Machado out at sea after she departed from Venezuela, where she had been lying low since August 2024 due to fear of persecution by the administration of President Nicolás Maduro.

A Detailed Escape Plan

She boarded his boat for a 13- to 14-hour trip to an undisclosed location to board a flight, in a mission planned just four days earlier. The operation occurred at midnight – minimal moonlight, some cloud coverage, extremely low visibility, boats have no lights. All of us were pretty wet. My team and I were soaked to the gills. She was also chilled and wet. She had a very arduous journey,” Stern noted.

Regarding her state, he said, “She was very happy. She was thrilled. She was exhausted,” adding that about two dozen people were directly involved within his organization.

Confirmation and Disguise

Spokespeople for Machado confirmed that Stern’s company was responsible for the operation, which began on Tuesday. This report comes after earlier stories that Machado used a wig and costume to flee her safe house in a outskirts of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

Stern did not divulge specifics about the ground segment, referencing his company’s future work 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, at least not that I know of,” Stern asserted.

He clarified, though, that his group did “unofficially collaborate” with the American armed forces regarding locations and strategy, largely to avoid being targeted by airstrikes.

Next Steps and Admiration

Machado said she had US support to leave Venezuela. She has announced plans to go back, though the specifics remain uncertain the method or timing.

Stern indicated his group would not be involved in that operation, as it worked only on getting people out of countries, not in. “That’s for her to determine and for her to decide. But I think she should not go back. Yet she is determined. She is a genuine inspiration,” he said.