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

The Dangerous Nocturnal Voyage

Bryan Stern, who heads a nonprofit rescue organisation, detailed the mission in a recent interview. It was perilous. It was terrifying,” stated Stern, an ex-special forces operative, recounting rough and moonless seas that also provided convenient cover for the flight.

“The sea conditions were ideal for us, but certainly not water that you would want to be on ... the higher the waves, the harder it is for radar to see,” Stern said.

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

A Detailed Escape Plan

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. “This was in the middle of the night – 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 also chilled and wet. She had a very arduous journey,” Stern noted.

Describing her condition, he said, “She was very happy. She was very excited. She was exhausted,” and noted about two dozen people were directly involved within his team.

Confirmation and Concealment

Spokespeople for Machado verified that Stern’s foundation was responsible for the operation, which began on Tuesday. This report comes after earlier stories that Machado used a wig and costume to leave her hideout 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 American Involvement

He told media the endeavor was financed by “a few generous donors” – none of whom were US officials involved. “The US government did not contribute a single penny, at least not that I know of,” Stern said.

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

Next Steps and Inspiration

The opposition leader stated she had American backing to depart Venezuela. She has announced plans to return home, though it is not clear how or when.

Stern said his group would play no part in that operation, 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. Yet she is determined. Maria is truly inspirational,” he said.