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The daring getaway of Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado entailed a long, frightening and very wet boat journey in the dead of night, according to the US veteran who says he led the mission.

A Dangerous Nighttime Voyage

Bryan Stern, who leads a nonprofit rescue organisation, detailed the operation in a newly published interview. It was perilous. It was scary,” said Stern, a US special forces veteran, describing dark and choppy conditions that simultaneously offered ideal concealment for the escape.

“The sea conditions were ideal for us, but certainly not water that you would want to be on ... the higher the waves, the more difficult radar detection becomes,” he remarked.

He recalled rendezvousing with Machado offshore after she departed from the country, where she had been lying low for over a year fearing persecution by the administration of President Nicolás Maduro.

A Step-by-Step Extraction

She boarded his boat for a 13- to 14-hour journey to an undisclosed location to board a flight, in a mission planned just days before. “This was in the middle of the night – minimal moonlight, 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 also chilled and wet. She had a very arduous journey,” Stern noted.

Regarding her state, he said, “She was very happy. She was very excited. She was very tired,” and noted about twenty-four people were actively participating within his organization.

Confirmation and Concealment

Spokespeople for Machado verified that Stern’s company was behind the operation, which began on Tuesday. This account follows earlier stories that Machado wore a wig and a disguise to leave her hideout in a suburb of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

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

Financing and American Involvement

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, at least not that I know of,” Stern asserted.

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.

Next Steps and Admiration

The opposition leader stated she had US support 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 getting people out of countries, not in. “She must decide that and for her to decide. But I think she should not go back. Yet she is determined. Maria is truly inspirational,” he said.