How a American Special Forces Veteran Assisted the Venezuelan Opposition Leader Flee Venezuela

The audacious escape of political leader María Corina Machado entailed a lengthy, “scary” and very wet sea crossing in the dead of night, as detailed by the American man who claims to have commanded the operation.

A Dangerous Nocturnal Crossing

The rescue organizer, who leads a nonprofit rescue organisation, outlined the mission in a recent interview. “It was dangerous. It was terrifying,” said Stern, a US special forces veteran, recounting dark and choppy conditions that also provided ideal concealment for the escape.

“The ocean was perfect for our purposes, but certainly not water that you would want to be on ... the bigger the swells, the more difficult radar detection becomes,” Stern said.

He described meeting Machado out at sea after she left Venezuela, where she had been lying low for over a year fearing persecution by the administration of President Nicolás Maduro.

A Step-by-Step Escape Plan

She boarded his boat for a half-day journey to an undisclosed location to catch a plane, in a mission planned just days before. “This was in the middle of the night – minimal moonlight, some cloud coverage, very hard to see, vessels running dark. All of us were pretty wet. My team and I were soaked to the gills. 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,” and noted about two dozen people were actively participating within his organization.

Confirmation and Concealment

A representative for Machado confirmed that Stern’s foundation was responsible for the extraction, which commenced earlier in the week. This account 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 ground segment, referencing his company’s future work in the country.

Funding and US Role

He told media the mission was funded through “a few generous donors” – 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 coordinate informally with the US military regarding positioning and plans, largely to avoid being targeted by airstrikes.

Next Steps and Admiration

Machado said she had American backing to leave Venezuela. She has declared her intention to return home, though it is not clear the method or timing.

Stern said his group would play no part in that operation, as it worked only on getting people out of countries, not bringing them back. “She must decide that and for her to decide. Personally, I advise against returning. Yet she is determined. She is a genuine inspiration,” he said.