This daring escape of Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado involved a long, “scary” and very wet sea crossing in the dead of night, as detailed by the US veteran who claims to have commanded the operation.
A Dangerous Nighttime Voyage
Bryan Stern, who leads a nonprofit rescue organisation, outlined the operation in a newly published media appearance. “It was dangerous. It was scary,” stated Stern, a US special forces veteran, recounting dark and choppy conditions that simultaneously offered convenient cover for the flight.
“The ocean was perfect for our purposes, but certainly not water that you would want to be on ... the higher the waves, the more difficult radar detection becomes,” Stern said.
He described rendezvousing with Machado offshore after she departed from the country, where she had been in hiding for over a year due to fear of targeting by the administration of President Nicolás Maduro.
A Detailed Extraction
Machado embarked on his boat for a half-day journey to an secret location to catch a plane, as part of orchestrated just days before. “This was in the middle of the night – very little moon, a little bit of cloud cover, very hard to see, vessels running dark. Everyone was quite damp. My crew and I were drenched. She was also chilled and wet. She had a very arduous journey,” Stern added.
Regarding her state, he said, “She was very happy. She was very excited. She was very tired,” adding that about twenty-four people were actively participating within his team.
Confirmation and Concealment
A representative for Machado verified that Stern’s company was behind the extraction, which began on Tuesday. This account follows 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 details about the ground segment, citing his organization's ongoing operations in the region.
Financing and US Involvement
He stated publicly the endeavor was financed by “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 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.
Future Plans and Admiration
Machado said she had American backing to leave Venezuela. She has announced plans to go back, though it is not clear how or when.
Stern said his group would play no part in a return mission, as it focuses exclusively on getting people out of countries, not in. “She must decide that for herself. Personally, I advise against returning. But she wants to. She is a genuine inspiration,” he concluded.
