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This daring escape of political leader María Corina Machado involved a lengthy, frightening and very wet sea crossing in the pitch black of night, as detailed by the US veteran who says he led the mission.

A Dangerous Nocturnal Voyage

The rescue organizer, who leads a rescue nonprofit, outlined the mission in a recent media appearance. “It was dangerous. It was scary,” stated Stern, a US special forces veteran, recounting dark and choppy conditions that also provided convenient cover 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 more difficult radar detection becomes,” he remarked.

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

A Detailed Escape Plan

Machado embarked on his boat for a half-day journey to an undisclosed 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. Everyone was quite damp. My crew and I were drenched. She was pretty cold and wet, too. She endured a grueling passage,” Stern added.

Regarding her state, he said, She was elated. She was very excited. She was exhausted,” adding that about twenty-four people were actively participating within his organization.

Confirmation and Concealment

Spokespeople for Machado verified that Stern’s foundation was behind the operation, which began on Tuesday. This report comes after earlier stories that Machado wore a wig and a disguise to flee her safe house in a outskirts of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

The veteran declined to share specifics about the land operation, referencing his company’s future work in the country.

Financing and American Involvement

He told media the mission was funded through “a few generous donors” – none of whom were US officials involved. Official US funds were not used, to my knowledge,” Stern said.

He clarified, though, that his group did “unofficially collaborate” with the US military regarding positioning and plans, primarily to prevent being mistakenly fired upon.

Next Steps and Inspiration

The opposition leader stated she had American backing to leave Venezuela. She has declared her intention to go back, though the specifics remain uncertain the method or timing.

Stern indicated his group would play no part in that operation, as it worked only on getting people out of countries, not in. “That’s for her to determine for herself. But I think she should not go back. But she wants to. She is a genuine inspiration,” he said.