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This audacious escape of political leader María Corina Machado entailed a lengthy, “scary” and soaking sea crossing in the dead of night, according to the American man who says he led the operation.

The Perilous Nighttime Crossing

The rescue organizer, who heads a nonprofit rescue organisation, outlined the mission in a recent media appearance. It was perilous. It was terrifying,” stated Stern, an ex-special forces operative, recounting rough and moonless seas that simultaneously offered ideal concealment for the flight.

“The ocean was perfect for our purposes, but not water you'd choose to sail on ... the bigger the swells, the more difficult radar detection becomes,” he remarked.

He described rendezvousing with Machado offshore after she left the country, where she had been lying low for over a year due to fear of targeting by the administration of President Nicolás Maduro.

A Detailed Extraction

She boarded his boat for a half-day trip to an secret location to board a flight, in a mission planned just days before. The operation occurred at midnight – minimal moonlight, some cloud coverage, extremely low visibility, boats have no lights. All of us were pretty wet. My crew and I were drenched. She was pretty cold and wet, too. She had a very arduous journey,” Stern added.

Describing her condition, he said, She was elated. She was very excited. She was exhausted,” and noted about two dozen people were actively participating within his organization.

Verification and Disguise

A representative for Machado verified that Stern’s foundation was behind the operation, which began on Tuesday. This account comes after previous reporting that Machado used a wig and costume to flee her hideout in a outskirts of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

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

Financing and American Involvement

He stated publicly the mission was funded through “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 said, however, that his group did “unofficially collaborate” with the US military regarding locations and strategy, largely to avoid being mistakenly fired upon.

Next Steps and Inspiration

The opposition leader stated she had US support to depart Venezuela. She has announced plans to go back, though it is not clear the method or timing.

Stern indicated his group would not be involved in that operation, as it worked only on extracting individuals from countries, not in. “She must decide that for herself. Personally, I advise against returning. But she wants to. Maria is truly inspirational,” he concluded.