How a American Special Forces Veteran Assisted María Corina Machado Escape Venezuela

This daring getaway of political leader María Corina Machado entailed a lengthy, frightening and soaking boat journey in the dead of night, according to the American man who says he led the mission.

A Dangerous Nocturnal Voyage

The rescue organizer, who leads a rescue nonprofit, outlined the mission in a recent interview. “It was dangerous. It was scary,” said Stern, a US special forces veteran, recounting rough and moonless seas that simultaneously offered ideal concealment for the flight.

“The sea conditions were ideal for us, but certainly not water that you would want to be on ... the higher the waves, the harder it is for radar to see,” Stern said.

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

The Detailed Escape Plan

She boarded his boat for a 13- to 14-hour journey to an secret location to board a flight, in a mission planned just days before. The operation occurred at midnight – very little moon, 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 also chilled and wet. She had a very arduous journey,” Stern noted.

Regarding her state, he commented, She was elated. She was thrilled. She was very tired,” adding that about twenty-four people were actively participating within his organization.

Confirmation and Disguise

Spokespeople for Machado confirmed that Stern’s foundation was responsible for the extraction, which commenced earlier in the week. This account comes after earlier stories that Machado wore a wig and a disguise to flee her hideout in a suburb of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

Stern did not divulge details about the ground segment, citing his organization's ongoing operations in the region.

Financing and US Role

He stated publicly the endeavor was financed by “several benefactors” – 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 coordinate informally with the American armed forces regarding positioning and plans, largely to avoid being targeted by airstrikes.

Future Plans and Admiration

Machado said she had American backing to depart Venezuela. She has announced plans to go back, though it is not clear the method or timing.

Stern indicated his group would play no part in a return mission, as it worked only on extracting individuals from countries, not bringing them back. “That’s for her to determine for herself. But I think she should not go back. Yet she is determined. Maria is truly inspirational,” he said.