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

This daring getaway of political leader María Corina Machado involved a long, frightening and very wet sea crossing in the pitch black of night, according to the US veteran who claims to have commanded the operation.

The Perilous Nighttime Voyage

The rescue organizer, who heads a rescue nonprofit, detailed the operation in a recent media appearance. It was perilous. It was terrifying,” stated Stern, a US special forces veteran, describing dark and choppy conditions that also provided ideal concealment for the flight.

“The ocean was perfect for our purposes, but not water you'd choose to sail on ... the higher the waves, the harder it is for radar to see,” he remarked.

He described rendezvousing with Machado offshore after she left Venezuela, where she had been lying low for over a year fearing persecution by the administration of President Nicolás Maduro.

The Detailed Extraction

Machado embarked on his boat for a 13- to 14-hour trip to an undisclosed location to catch a plane, in a mission planned just four days earlier. The operation occurred at midnight – very little moon, some cloud coverage, extremely low visibility, 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 added.

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

Verification and Concealment

A representative for Machado confirmed that Stern’s foundation was responsible for the extraction, which commenced earlier in the week. This account comes after earlier stories 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 details about the ground segment, referencing his company’s future work in the country.

Funding and American Role

He stated publicly the endeavor was funded through “several benefactors” – none of whom were US government figures involved. Official US funds were not used, to my knowledge,” Stern said.

He said, however, that his group did “unofficially collaborate” with the US military regarding locations and strategy, primarily to prevent being mistakenly fired upon.

Future Plans and Inspiration

Machado said she had US support to depart Venezuela. She has declared her intention to go back, though it is not clear how or when.

Stern indicated his group would play no part in a return mission, as it focuses exclusively on getting people out of countries, not in. “That’s for her to determine and for her to decide. But I think she should not go back. But she wants to. Maria is truly inspirational,” he said.