The Way a US Military Veteran Aided the Venezuelan Opposition Leader Escape Venezuela

The daring escape of political leader María Corina Machado entailed a long, frightening and very wet boat journey in the dead of night, according to the American man who says he led the operation.

The Dangerous Nocturnal Crossing

Bryan Stern, who heads a rescue nonprofit, outlined the mission in a newly published interview. “It was dangerous. It was terrifying,” stated Stern, a US special forces veteran, recounting rough and moonless seas that also provided ideal concealment for the escape.

“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,” he remarked.

He described meeting Machado out at sea after she departed from Venezuela, where she had been lying low for over a year due to fear of persecution by the government of President Nicolás Maduro.

The Step-by-Step Extraction

Machado embarked on his boat for a half-day trip to an undisclosed location to catch a plane, in a mission planned just four days earlier. “This was in the middle of the night – minimal moonlight, 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 pretty cold and wet, too. She had a very arduous journey,” Stern noted.

Regarding her state, he said, “She was very happy. She was very excited. She was exhausted,” adding that about two dozen people were actively participating within his organization.

Confirmation and Concealment

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

Stern did not divulge details about the ground segment, referencing his company’s future work in the country.

Funding and American Involvement

He told media the endeavor was financed by “a few generous donors” – with no US government figures involved. “The US government did not contribute a single penny, at least not that I know of,” Stern asserted.

He clarified, though, that his group did coordinate informally with the US military regarding positioning and plans, primarily to prevent being mistakenly fired upon.

Future Plans and Admiration

The opposition leader stated she had US support to leave Venezuela. She has announced plans to return home, though it is not clear the method or timing.

Stern indicated his group would play no part in a return mission, as it focuses exclusively 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. Maria is truly inspirational,” he concluded.