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This daring escape of political leader María Corina Machado involved a lengthy, frightening and soaking boat journey in the pitch black of night, according to the American man who claims to have commanded the mission.

The Perilous Nighttime Crossing

The rescue organizer, who leads a rescue nonprofit, detailed the mission in a recent interview. “It was dangerous. It was terrifying,” said Stern, an ex-special forces operative, describing rough and moonless seas that simultaneously offered convenient cover for the escape.

“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 rendezvousing with Machado offshore after she left Venezuela, where she had been in hiding for over a year due to fear of targeting by the government of President Nicolás Maduro.

A Detailed Escape Plan

Machado embarked on his boat for a 13- to 14-hour trip to an undisclosed location to board a flight, as part of planned just four days earlier. “This was in the middle of the night – very little moon, a little bit of cloud cover, extremely low visibility, boats have no lights. Everyone was quite damp. My team and I were soaked to the gills. She was pretty cold and wet, too. She endured a grueling passage,” Stern noted.

Describing her condition, he said, She was elated. She was thrilled. She was very tired,” adding that about twenty-four people were actively participating within his team.

Confirmation and Disguise

A representative for Machado verified that Stern’s foundation was responsible for the operation, which began on Tuesday. This report comes after earlier stories that Machado used a wig and costume to leave her safe house in a outskirts of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

Stern did not divulge specifics about the land operation, referencing his company’s future work in the region.

Financing and American Role

He told media the mission 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 said, however, that his group did coordinate informally with the American armed forces regarding locations and strategy, primarily to prevent being mistakenly fired upon.

Next Steps and Admiration

The opposition leader stated she had American backing to leave Venezuela. She has announced plans to return home, though it is not clear how or when.

Stern indicated his group would play no part in a return mission, as it worked only on extracting individuals from countries, not in. “That’s for her to determine for herself. Personally, I advise against returning. Yet she is determined. She is a genuine inspiration,” he concluded.