The Way a American Military Vet Assisted the Venezuelan Opposition Leader Flee Her Homeland

The audacious getaway of Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado entailed a long, “scary” and soaking boat journey in the pitch black of night, according to the American man who says he led the mission.

A Perilous Nocturnal Voyage

The rescue organizer, who heads a rescue nonprofit, detailed the mission in a newly published interview. It was perilous. It was scary,” stated Stern, an ex-special forces operative, recounting rough and moonless seas that also provided convenient cover for the flight.

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

He recalled meeting Machado out at sea after she departed from the country, where she had been lying low since August 2024 due to fear of targeting by the administration of President Nicolás Maduro.

The Detailed Escape Plan

Machado embarked on his boat for a half-day journey to an undisclosed location to catch a plane, in a mission planned just days before. “This was in the middle of the night – very little moon, a little bit of cloud cover, extremely low visibility, vessels running dark. All of us were pretty wet. My crew and I were drenched. She was also chilled and wet. She endured a grueling passage,” Stern added.

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

Confirmation and Disguise

A representative for Machado confirmed that Stern’s company was responsible for the operation, which began on Tuesday. This account follows previous reporting that Machado wore a wig and a disguise to flee her hideout in a outskirts of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

The veteran declined to share specifics about the land operation, citing his company’s future work in the region.

Financing and US Role

He stated publicly the mission was funded through “a few generous donors” – with no US officials involved. “The US government did not contribute a single penny, to my knowledge,” Stern asserted.

He said, however, that his group did “unofficially collaborate” with the US military regarding positioning and plans, largely to avoid being mistakenly fired upon.

Next Steps and Inspiration

Machado said she had US support to depart Venezuela. She has announced plans to return home, though the specifics remain uncertain the method or timing.

Stern indicated his group would not be involved in that operation, as it focuses exclusively on extracting individuals from countries, not bringing them back. “That’s for her to determine and for her to decide. But I think she should not go back. Yet she is determined. She is a genuine inspiration,” he concluded.