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The daring getaway of Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado entailed a long, frightening and very wet boat journey in the dead of night, according to the American man who claims to have commanded the mission.

A Dangerous Nighttime Voyage

The rescue organizer, who leads a nonprofit rescue organisation, outlined the mission in a recent media appearance. It was perilous. It was scary,” stated Stern, a US special forces veteran, describing rough and moonless seas that also provided ideal concealment for the flight.

“The ocean was perfect for our purposes, but not water you'd choose to sail on ... the bigger the swells, the more difficult radar detection becomes,” he remarked.

He recalled rendezvousing with Machado offshore after she left Venezuela, where she had been lying low for over a year fearing persecution by the government of President Nicolás Maduro.

A 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 four days earlier. The operation occurred at midnight – very little moon, a little bit of cloud cover, very hard to see, boats have no lights. Everyone was quite damp. My team and I were soaked to the gills. She was also chilled and wet. She had a very arduous journey,” Stern added.

Regarding her state, he commented, She was elated. She was very excited. She was exhausted,” adding that about two dozen people were actively participating within his team.

Confirmation and Concealment

Spokespeople 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 flee her hideout in a outskirts of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

The veteran declined to share details about the land operation, citing his organization's ongoing operations in the region.

Financing and American Involvement

He stated publicly the endeavor was financed by “several benefactors” – with no US government figures involved. “The US government did not contribute a single penny, at least not that I know of,” Stern asserted.

He clarified, though, that his group did “unofficially collaborate” with the American armed forces regarding locations and strategy, primarily to prevent being mistakenly fired upon.

Next Steps and Inspiration

Machado said she had US support to depart Venezuela. She has announced plans to go back, though the specifics remain uncertain the method or timing.

Stern indicated his group would not be involved 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. Yet she is determined. She is a genuine inspiration,” he concluded.