The Way a US Military Vet Assisted the Venezuelan Opposition Leader Escape Her Homeland

The daring escape of Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado involved a lengthy, “scary” and very wet sea crossing in the pitch black of night, according to the American man who says he led the mission.

A Dangerous Nocturnal Crossing

Bryan Stern, who leads a rescue nonprofit, outlined the mission in a newly published media appearance. “It was dangerous. It was scary,” stated Stern, an ex-special forces operative, describing rough and moonless seas that also provided ideal concealment 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 harder it is for radar to see,” he remarked.

He described rendezvousing with Machado offshore after she departed from the country, where she had been lying low since August 2024 fearing targeting by the government of President Nicolás Maduro.

A Step-by-Step Escape Plan

Machado embarked on his boat for a half-day journey to an undisclosed location to catch a plane, as part of planned just days before. The operation occurred at midnight – minimal moonlight, some cloud coverage, very hard to see, vessels running dark. All of us were pretty wet. My crew and I were drenched. She was pretty cold and wet, too. She had a very arduous journey,” Stern noted.

Describing her condition, he commented, She was elated. She was very excited. She was exhausted,” and noted about twenty-four people were directly involved within his team.

Verification and Concealment

A representative for Machado confirmed that Stern’s foundation was behind the extraction, which commenced earlier in the week. This account comes after 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 land operation, referencing his company’s future work in the country.

Financing and US Role

He told media the endeavor was funded through “a few generous donors” – with no US government figures involved. “The US government did not contribute a single penny, to my knowledge,” Stern said.

He said, however, that his group did “unofficially collaborate” with the American armed forces regarding positioning and plans, primarily to prevent being targeted by airstrikes.

Future Plans and Inspiration

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

Stern indicated his group would not be involved in a return mission, as it worked only on getting people out of countries, not bringing them back. “That’s for her to determine for herself. Personally, I advise against returning. But she wants to. Maria is truly inspirational,” he concluded.