How a American Special Forces Veteran Aided María Corina Machado Flee Venezuela

The audacious escape of political leader María Corina Machado involved a long, “scary” and very wet sea crossing in the pitch black of night, according to the US veteran who says he led the mission.

A Perilous Nocturnal Voyage

Bryan Stern, who heads a rescue nonprofit, outlined the mission in a newly published media appearance. “It was dangerous. It was scary,” stated Stern, a US special forces veteran, 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 bigger the swells, 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 targeting by the administration of President Nicolás Maduro.

A Detailed Extraction

She boarded his boat for a 13- to 14-hour trip to an undisclosed location to board a flight, as part of orchestrated just four days earlier. “This was in the middle of the night – minimal moonlight, 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 endured a grueling passage,” Stern added.

Regarding her state, he said, She was elated. She was thrilled. She was exhausted,” and noted about twenty-four people were actively participating within his team.

Confirmation and Concealment

Spokespeople for Machado verified that Stern’s company was behind the operation, which commenced earlier in the week. This report follows previous reporting that Machado wore a wig and a disguise to flee her safe house in a suburb of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

The veteran declined to share specifics about the ground segment, referencing his organization's ongoing operations in the country.

Funding and American Involvement

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

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

Future Plans and Inspiration

The opposition leader stated 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 focuses exclusively on extracting individuals from countries, not in. “That’s for her to determine for herself. Personally, I advise against returning. But she wants to. She is a genuine inspiration,” he concluded.