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This audacious getaway of political leader María Corina Machado entailed a long, “scary” and very wet boat journey in the pitch black of night, according to the US veteran who says he led the mission.

The Dangerous Nocturnal Crossing

The rescue organizer, who heads a nonprofit rescue organisation, detailed the mission in a recent interview. It was perilous. It was scary,” stated Stern, a US special forces veteran, describing dark and choppy conditions that also provided ideal concealment for the escape.

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

A Step-by-Step Extraction

Machado embarked on his boat for a 13- to 14-hour journey to an secret location to catch a plane, as part of orchestrated just four days earlier. “This was in the middle of the night – very little moon, a little bit of cloud cover, very hard to see, vessels running dark. 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 added.

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

Verification and Disguise

A representative for Machado verified that Stern’s foundation was responsible for the extraction, which began on Tuesday. This report follows earlier stories that Machado wore a wig and a disguise to leave her hideout in a suburb of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

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

Funding and American Role

He told media the endeavor was funded through “a few generous donors” – none of whom were US government figures involved. “The US government did not contribute a single penny, to my knowledge,” Stern said.

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

Machado said she had US support to depart Venezuela. She has declared her intention to go back, though it is not clear 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. She is a genuine inspiration,” he concluded.