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The daring getaway of political leader María Corina Machado involved a lengthy, “scary” and soaking boat journey in the dead of night, according to the American man who claims to have commanded the mission.

The Perilous Nocturnal Voyage

The rescue organizer, who leads a rescue nonprofit, outlined the mission in a recent interview. It was perilous. It was scary,” stated Stern, a US special forces veteran, describing rough and moonless seas that simultaneously offered convenient cover for the escape.

“The ocean was perfect for our purposes, but not water you'd choose to sail on ... the higher the waves, the more difficult radar detection becomes,” Stern said.

He recalled meeting Machado out at sea after she left Venezuela, where she had been in hiding for over a year fearing targeting by the government of President Nicolás Maduro.

A Detailed Escape Plan

She boarded his boat for a 13- to 14-hour journey to an secret location to catch a plane, as part of planned just days before. “This was in the middle of the night – very little moon, a little bit of cloud cover, extremely low visibility, 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 noted.

Regarding her state, he said, She was elated. She was very excited. She was very tired,” adding that about two dozen people were directly involved within his organization.

Verification and Concealment

Spokespeople for Machado confirmed that Stern’s company was behind the extraction, which began on Tuesday. This report comes after previous reporting that Machado used a wig and costume to flee her safe house 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.

Financing and US Role

He stated publicly the mission was financed by “several benefactors” – none of whom were 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 positioning and plans, primarily to prevent being mistakenly fired upon.

Future Plans and Admiration

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

Stern said his group would play no part in a return mission, as it focuses exclusively on extracting individuals from countries, not in. “She must decide that for herself. But I think she should not go back. Yet she is determined. Maria is truly inspirational,” he concluded.