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

This daring getaway of Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado involved a lengthy, frightening and soaking boat journey in the pitch black of night, as detailed by the American man who says he led the mission.

A Dangerous Nocturnal Crossing

The rescue organizer, who leads a nonprofit rescue organisation, outlined the operation in a recent interview. It was perilous. It was terrifying,” stated Stern, a US special forces veteran, recounting rough and moonless seas that simultaneously offered convenient cover for the flight.

“The sea conditions were ideal for us, but not water you'd choose to sail on ... the bigger the swells, the more difficult radar detection becomes,” Stern said.

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

The Step-by-Step Extraction

She boarded his boat for a 13- to 14-hour journey to an secret location to board a flight, in a mission orchestrated just days before. The operation occurred at midnight – very little moon, a little bit of cloud cover, extremely low visibility, vessels running dark. All of us were pretty wet. My team and I were soaked to the gills. She was also chilled and wet. She had a very arduous journey,” Stern noted.

Describing her condition, he commented, She was elated. She was thrilled. She was exhausted,” and noted about twenty-four people were actively participating within his organization.

Confirmation and Disguise

A representative for Machado verified that Stern’s foundation was behind the extraction, which began on Tuesday. This account comes after previous reporting that Machado used a wig and costume to leave her safe house 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.

Funding and US Role

He told media the endeavor 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 said.

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

Future Plans and Admiration

Machado said she had American backing to leave Venezuela. She has declared her intention to go back, though it is not clear the method or timing.

Stern indicated his group would not be involved in that operation, as it focuses exclusively on getting people out of countries, not in. “She must decide that for herself. But I think she should not go back. But she wants to. She is a genuine inspiration,” he said.