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The daring getaway of Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado involved a lengthy, “scary” and soaking sea crossing in the dead of night, according to the American man who says he led the operation.

A Dangerous Nighttime Crossing

Bryan Stern, who leads a nonprofit rescue organisation, outlined the mission in a newly published interview. It was perilous. It was terrifying,” stated Stern, an ex-special forces operative, describing rough and moonless seas that simultaneously offered ideal concealment for the flight.

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

He described rendezvousing with Machado offshore after she departed from Venezuela, where she had been lying low for over a year fearing targeting by the government of President Nicolás Maduro.

A Detailed Escape Plan

She boarded his boat for a half-day trip to an undisclosed location to board a flight, in a mission planned just days before. “This was in the middle of the night – very little moon, some cloud coverage, extremely low visibility, vessels running dark. Everyone was quite damp. My team and I were soaked to the gills. She was pretty cold and wet, too. She had a very arduous journey,” Stern added.

Describing her condition, he said, “She was very happy. She was very excited. She was exhausted,” and noted about twenty-four people were directly involved within his organization.

Verification and Disguise

A representative for Machado verified that Stern’s company was responsible for the extraction, which began on Tuesday. This report comes after previous reporting 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 details about the land operation, referencing his organization's ongoing operations in the region.

Funding and US Role

He told media the mission was financed by “a few generous donors” – with no US officials involved. Official US funds were not used, to my knowledge,” Stern asserted.

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

Future Plans and Inspiration

The opposition leader stated she had American backing to depart Venezuela. She has announced plans 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 extracting individuals from countries, not in. “That’s for her to determine and for her to decide. Personally, I advise against returning. Yet she is determined. Maria is truly inspirational,” he concluded.