This daring escape of Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado involved a long, frightening and very wet boat journey in the pitch black of night, according to the American man who says he led the operation.
The rescue organizer, who heads a rescue nonprofit, detailed the operation in a recent media appearance. It was perilous. It was scary,” stated Stern, a US special forces veteran, describing dark and choppy conditions that also provided convenient cover 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 harder it is for radar to see,” Stern said.
He recalled meeting Machado out at sea after she left the country, where she had been lying low since August 2024 due to fear of targeting by the administration of President Nicolás Maduro.
She boarded his boat for a 13- to 14-hour trip to an secret location to catch a plane, as part of orchestrated just four days earlier. The operation occurred at midnight – minimal moonlight, some cloud coverage, extremely low visibility, vessels running dark. All of us were pretty wet. My crew and I were drenched. 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 twenty-four people were directly involved within his organization.
A representative for Machado confirmed that Stern’s foundation was responsible for the operation, which began on Tuesday. This report comes after previous reporting that Machado wore a wig and a disguise to leave her hideout in a suburb of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.
Stern did not divulge specifics about the ground segment, referencing his company’s future work in the region.
He told media the mission was funded through “a few generous donors” – none of whom were US officials 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 “unofficially collaborate” with the US military regarding locations and strategy, largely to avoid being targeted by airstrikes.
The opposition leader stated she had US support to depart Venezuela. She has declared her intention to go back, though the specifics remain uncertain how or when.
Stern indicated his group would not be involved in that operation, as it worked only on getting people out of countries, not in. “That’s for her to determine for herself. But I think she should not go back. But she wants to. She is a genuine inspiration,” he said.
A seasoned gaming enthusiast with over a decade of experience in lottery analysis and casino reviews.
