The Way a American Special Forces Vet Assisted the Venezuelan Opposition Leader Escape Venezuela

The daring getaway of Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado involved a long, “scary” and very wet boat journey in the dead of night, according to the American man who claims to have commanded the mission.

The Perilous Nocturnal Crossing

The rescue organizer, who heads a nonprofit rescue organisation, detailed the mission in a recent interview. It was perilous. It was terrifying,” said Stern, an ex-special forces operative, recounting dark and choppy conditions that simultaneously offered convenient cover for the escape.

“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,” Stern said.

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

A Step-by-Step Escape Plan

She boarded his boat for a half-day journey to an secret location to catch a plane, in a mission orchestrated just four days earlier. “This was in the middle of the night – minimal moonlight, some cloud coverage, extremely low visibility, boats have no lights. Everyone was quite damp. My crew and I were drenched. She was also chilled and wet. She had a very arduous journey,” Stern added.

Regarding her state, he said, She was elated. She was thrilled. She was exhausted,” and noted about two dozen people were directly involved within his organization.

Confirmation and Concealment

Spokespeople for Machado confirmed that Stern’s company was behind the extraction, which commenced earlier in the week. This report comes after earlier stories that Machado wore a wig and a disguise to leave her hideout in a outskirts of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

Stern did not divulge details about the land operation, citing his organization's ongoing operations in the region.

Financing and American Involvement

He stated publicly the mission was financed by “several benefactors” – 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 American armed forces regarding locations and strategy, largely to avoid being mistakenly fired upon.

Future Plans and Inspiration

Machado said she had American backing to leave Venezuela. She has declared her intention to go back, though the specifics remain uncertain the method or timing.

Stern said his group would not be involved in a return mission, as it focuses exclusively on getting people out of countries, not bringing them back. “That’s for her to determine for herself. But I think she should not go back. Yet she is determined. Maria is truly inspirational,” he said.