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The daring getaway of political leader María Corina Machado involved a long, “scary” and soaking sea crossing in the pitch black of night, according to the American man who says he led the operation.

A Dangerous Nocturnal Voyage

The rescue organizer, who heads a rescue nonprofit, detailed the operation in a recent interview. It was perilous. It was scary,” stated Stern, a US special forces veteran, recounting dark and choppy conditions that simultaneously offered ideal concealment for the flight.

“The ocean was perfect for our purposes, but not water you'd choose to sail on ... the higher the waves, 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 lying low for over a year fearing targeting by the administration of President Nicolás Maduro.

The Detailed Escape Plan

Machado embarked on his boat for a 13- to 14-hour trip to an secret location to catch a plane, as part of planned just days before. The operation occurred at midnight – very little moon, a little bit of cloud cover, extremely low visibility, vessels running dark. All of us were pretty wet. 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 thrilled. She was exhausted,” and noted about two dozen people were directly involved within his organization.

Confirmation and Concealment

A representative for Machado confirmed that Stern’s foundation was behind the extraction, which commenced earlier in the week. This report comes after earlier stories that Machado wore a wig and a disguise to leave her safe house in a outskirts of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

Stern did not divulge specifics about the ground segment, referencing his company’s future work in the country.

Funding and American Role

He told media the endeavor was funded through “several benefactors” – with no 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 American armed forces regarding positioning and plans, largely to avoid being targeted by airstrikes.

Next Steps and Admiration

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

Stern said his group would not be involved in a return mission, 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 concluded.