🔗 Share this article How a US Military Veteran Assisted the Venezuelan Opposition Leader Flee Her Homeland The daring escape of political leader María Corina Machado involved a lengthy, frightening and very wet sea crossing in the dead of night, according to the American man who claims to have commanded the mission. The Dangerous Nocturnal Crossing The rescue organizer, who heads a nonprofit rescue organisation, outlined the mission in a recent interview. “It was dangerous. It was scary,” said Stern, an ex-special forces operative, recounting dark and choppy conditions that also provided convenient cover for the escape. “The ocean was perfect for our purposes, but certainly not water that you would want to be on ... the higher the waves, the harder it is for radar to see,” Stern said. He described meeting Machado out at sea after she left Venezuela, 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 Extraction She boarded his boat for a 13- to 14-hour trip to an secret location to board a flight, in a mission planned just days before. The operation occurred at midnight – very little moon, 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 added. Regarding her state, he said, “She was very happy. She was very excited. She was exhausted,” and noted about twenty-four people were actively participating within his team. Confirmation and Disguise A representative for Machado confirmed that Stern’s company was behind the extraction, which commenced earlier in the week. This account comes after previous reporting 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 specifics about the ground segment, citing his organization's ongoing operations in the region. Funding and US Involvement He stated publicly the endeavor was funded through “several benefactors” – none of whom were US officials involved. Official US funds were not used, at least not that I know of,” Stern said. He said, however, that his group did coordinate informally with the American armed forces regarding positioning and plans, largely to avoid being targeted by airstrikes. Next Steps and Admiration The opposition leader stated she had American backing to depart Venezuela. She has declared her intention to go back, though the specifics remain uncertain how or when. Stern said his group would play no part in that operation, as it focuses exclusively on getting people out of countries, not bringing them back. “She must decide that and for her to decide. Personally, I advise against returning. But she wants to. She is a genuine inspiration,” he said.