The Way a US Special Forces Vet Assisted the Venezuelan Opposition Leader Escape Her Homeland

The audacious getaway of Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado entailed a long, frightening and soaking sea crossing in the pitch black of night, as detailed by the American man who claims to have commanded the mission.

A Dangerous Nighttime Voyage

The rescue organizer, who leads a nonprofit rescue organisation, detailed the operation in a newly published media appearance. “It was dangerous. It was scary,” stated Stern, a US special forces veteran, recounting rough and moonless seas that also provided ideal concealment for the escape.

“The sea conditions were ideal for us, but certainly not water that you would want to be on ... the higher the waves, the harder it is for radar to see,” he remarked.

He recalled meeting Machado out at sea after she left the country, where she had been lying low for over a year due to fear of persecution by the government of President Nicolás Maduro.

The Step-by-Step Escape Plan

Machado embarked on his boat for a half-day trip to an secret location to board a flight, in a mission planned just four days earlier. “This was in the middle of the night – minimal moonlight, a little bit of cloud cover, very hard to see, 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 noted.

Describing her condition, he said, She was elated. She was very excited. She was very tired,” adding that about two dozen people were directly involved within his team.

Verification and Disguise

A representative for Machado confirmed that Stern’s foundation was behind the extraction, which began on Tuesday. This report comes after previous reporting that Machado wore a wig and a disguise to flee her hideout in a outskirts of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

Stern did not divulge specifics about the ground segment, citing his company’s future work in the region.

Financing and US Involvement

He stated publicly the endeavor was financed by “several benefactors” – none of whom were US government figures involved. Official US funds were not used, to my knowledge,” Stern asserted.

He said, however, that his group did coordinate informally with the US military regarding locations and strategy, largely to avoid being mistakenly fired upon.

Next Steps and Inspiration

Machado said she had American backing to depart Venezuela. She has announced plans to return home, though it is not clear how or when.

Stern indicated his group would not be involved in that operation, as it worked only on extracting individuals from countries, not bringing them back. “That’s for her to determine for herself. Personally, I advise against returning. But she wants to. Maria is truly inspirational,” he said.