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The daring getaway of political leader María Corina Machado involved a long, frightening and very wet sea crossing in the dead of night, according to the American man who claims to have commanded the operation.

The Perilous Nocturnal Voyage

The rescue organizer, who leads a rescue nonprofit, outlined the mission in a newly published media appearance. It was perilous. It was terrifying,” stated Stern, a US special forces veteran, describing dark and choppy conditions that simultaneously offered convenient cover for the flight.

“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 recalled meeting Machado out at sea after she left the country, where she had been in hiding for over a year fearing persecution by the government of President Nicolás Maduro.

The Detailed Escape Plan

She boarded his boat for a 13- to 14-hour journey to an secret location to catch a plane, as part of orchestrated just four days earlier. “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 team and I were soaked to the gills. She was pretty cold and wet, too. She had a very arduous journey,” Stern noted.

Regarding her state, he commented, “She was very happy. She was thrilled. She was very tired,” adding that about two dozen people were directly involved within his team.

Verification and Concealment

A representative for Machado verified that Stern’s company was behind the extraction, which began on Tuesday. This report follows earlier stories that Machado used a wig and costume to flee her safe house in a suburb of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

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

Financing and US Role

He told media the endeavor was funded through “several benefactors” – none of whom were US officials involved. “The US government did not contribute a single penny, at least not that I know of,” Stern said.

He clarified, though, that his group did “unofficially collaborate” with the US military regarding positioning and plans, largely to avoid being targeted by airstrikes.

Next Steps and Admiration

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

Stern indicated his group would not be involved in a return mission, as it worked only on extracting individuals from countries, not in. “She must decide that for herself. Personally, I advise against returning. But she wants to. She is a genuine inspiration,” he said.