🔗 Share this article The Way a US Special Forces Veteran Aided the Venezuelan Opposition Leader Escape Her Homeland The audacious escape of Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado involved a lengthy, “scary” and soaking boat journey in the dead of night, as detailed by the American man who says he led the mission. The Dangerous Nighttime Voyage The rescue organizer, who heads a rescue nonprofit, outlined the mission in a newly published media appearance. It was perilous. It was terrifying,” said Stern, an ex-special forces operative, describing rough and moonless seas 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 bigger the swells, the more difficult radar detection becomes,” Stern said. He described meeting Machado out at sea after she departed from Venezuela, where she had been lying low since August 2024 fearing targeting by the administration of President Nicolás Maduro. The Detailed Extraction She boarded his boat for a half-day trip to an undisclosed location to board a flight, as part of orchestrated just four days earlier. The operation occurred at midnight – minimal moonlight, some cloud coverage, very hard to see, boats have no lights. All of us were pretty wet. 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 said, She was elated. She was very excited. She was exhausted,” and noted about two dozen people were actively participating within his organization. Verification and Concealment Spokespeople for Machado verified that Stern’s foundation was responsible for the extraction, which commenced earlier in the week. This report follows earlier stories that Machado used a wig and costume to flee her safe house in a outskirts of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas. The veteran declined to share specifics about the ground segment, citing his company’s future work in the region. Funding and American Involvement He stated publicly the endeavor was financed by “a few generous donors” – none of whom were US government figures involved. Official US funds were not used, at least not that I know of,” Stern asserted. He said, however, that his group did coordinate informally with the US military regarding locations and strategy, largely to avoid being targeted by airstrikes. Future Plans and Inspiration Machado said she had American backing to depart Venezuela. She has declared her intention 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 extracting individuals from countries, not bringing them back. “She must decide that for herself. But I think she should not go back. But she wants to. Maria is truly inspirational,” he said.