The Way a American Special Forces Veteran Aided María Corina Machado Escape Venezuela

The audacious escape of Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado entailed a lengthy, frightening and soaking sea crossing in the pitch black of night, according to the US veteran who says he led the mission.

The Dangerous Nocturnal Voyage

Bryan Stern, who heads a nonprofit rescue organisation, outlined the operation in a recent media appearance. It was perilous. It was terrifying,” stated Stern, an ex-special forces operative, recounting dark and choppy conditions 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 higher the waves, the more difficult radar detection becomes,” Stern said.

He recalled rendezvousing with Machado offshore after she left Venezuela, where she had been lying low since August 2024 fearing persecution by the administration of President Nicolás Maduro.

The Step-by-Step Escape Plan

She boarded his boat for a 13- to 14-hour 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 – very little moon, a little bit of cloud cover, extremely low visibility, vessels running dark. Everyone was quite damp. My team and I were soaked to the gills. She was also chilled and wet. She endured a grueling passage,” Stern noted.

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

Confirmation and Disguise

A representative for Machado confirmed that Stern’s foundation was responsible for the extraction, which commenced earlier in the week. This report comes after previous reporting that Machado used a wig and costume to leave her hideout in a outskirts of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

The veteran declined to share details about the ground segment, referencing his company’s future work in the country.

Funding and American Role

He stated publicly the endeavor was financed by “several benefactors” – with no US officials 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 “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 leave Venezuela. She has declared her intention to go back, though it is not clear the method or timing.

Stern indicated his group would play no part in that operation, as it worked only on extracting individuals from countries, not bringing them back. “That’s for her to determine for herself. Personally, I advise against returning. Yet she is determined. Maria is truly inspirational,” he said.