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This audacious getaway of political leader María Corina Machado involved a long, “scary” and very wet boat journey in the dead of night, according to the US veteran who claims to have commanded the mission.

The Perilous Nocturnal Crossing

Bryan Stern, who heads a nonprofit rescue organisation, outlined the operation in a recent interview. It was perilous. It was terrifying,” said Stern, a US special forces veteran, describing rough and moonless seas that also provided convenient cover for the escape.

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

He described meeting Machado out at sea after she left Venezuela, where she had been in hiding for over a year due to fear of persecution by the government of President Nicolás Maduro.

The Step-by-Step Escape Plan

She boarded his boat for a 13- to 14-hour trip to an secret location to board a flight, as part of orchestrated just days before. The operation occurred at midnight – minimal moonlight, some cloud coverage, extremely low visibility, boats have no lights. Everyone was quite damp. My crew and I were drenched. She was also chilled and wet. She endured a grueling passage,” Stern noted.

Regarding her state, he commented, She was elated. She was very excited. She was exhausted,” adding that about twenty-four people were directly involved within his team.

Confirmation and Disguise

A representative for Machado confirmed that Stern’s company was behind the extraction, 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 land operation, citing his organization's ongoing operations in the country.

Funding and US Involvement

He stated publicly the mission was financed by “a few generous donors” – with no US officials involved. “The US government did not contribute a single penny, at least not that I know of,” Stern asserted.

He said, however, that his group did coordinate informally with the American armed forces regarding locations and strategy, primarily to prevent being mistakenly fired upon.

Next Steps and Inspiration

The opposition leader stated she had American backing to depart Venezuela. She has announced plans to go back, though it is not clear how or when.

Stern said his group would not be involved in a return mission, as it worked only on getting people out of countries, not in. “She must decide that for herself. Personally, I advise against returning. But she wants to. She is a genuine inspiration,” he concluded.