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The daring escape of political leader María Corina Machado involved a long, frightening and very wet sea crossing in the pitch black of night, according to the American man who says he led the mission.

The Perilous Nighttime Crossing

The rescue organizer, who heads a nonprofit rescue organisation, outlined the mission in a recent interview. “It was dangerous. It was scary,” said Stern, a US special forces veteran, recounting rough and moonless seas that also provided ideal concealment for the flight.

“The ocean was perfect for our purposes, 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 meeting Machado out at sea after she left Venezuela, where she had been lying low for over a year due to fear of persecution by the government of President Nicolás Maduro.

The Detailed Extraction

Machado embarked on his boat for a half-day journey to an undisclosed location to board a flight, in a mission orchestrated just days before. “This was in the middle of the night – very little moon, 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 added.

Describing her condition, he said, “She was very happy. She was very excited. She was very tired,” and noted about two dozen people were directly involved within his team.

Confirmation and Concealment

Spokespeople for Machado verified that Stern’s foundation was behind the operation, which commenced earlier in the week. This account follows earlier stories that Machado used a wig and costume to leave her hideout in a suburb of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

Stern did not divulge details about the land operation, referencing his company’s future work in the country.

Financing and US Involvement

He told media the endeavor was funded through “several benefactors” – none of whom were US government figures involved. Official US funds were not used, to my knowledge,” Stern said.

He clarified, though, that his group did coordinate informally with the US military regarding positioning and plans, primarily to prevent being targeted by airstrikes.

Future Plans and Admiration

The opposition leader stated she had American backing to depart Venezuela. She has declared her intention to return home, though it is not clear the method or timing.

Stern said his group would not be involved 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.