🔗 Share this article How a US Military Vet Assisted María Corina Machado Escape Her Homeland This daring getaway of political leader María Corina Machado entailed a lengthy, frightening and soaking boat journey in the dead of night, as detailed by the American man who says he led the mission. A Dangerous Nighttime Voyage Bryan Stern, who heads a nonprofit rescue organisation, outlined the mission in a newly published media appearance. “It was dangerous. It was terrifying,” stated Stern, an ex-special forces operative, recounting 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 higher the waves, the harder it is for radar to see,” he remarked. He recalled meeting Machado out at sea after she left Venezuela, where she had been lying low since August 2024 fearing persecution by the government of President Nicolás Maduro. The Step-by-Step Escape Plan She boarded his boat for a half-day trip to an undisclosed location to board a flight, in a mission orchestrated just days before. The operation occurred at midnight – very little moon, 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 endured a grueling passage,” Stern added. Describing her condition, he commented, “She was very happy. She was thrilled. She was very tired,” adding that about two dozen people were directly involved within his team. Verification and Disguise Spokespeople for Machado confirmed that Stern’s company was behind the operation, which commenced earlier in the week. This account follows earlier stories that Machado used a wig and costume to flee her safe house in a suburb of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas. The veteran declined to share details about the ground segment, citing his company’s future work in the region. Funding and American Involvement He told media the endeavor was funded through “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 coordinate informally with the US military regarding locations and strategy, primarily to prevent being targeted by airstrikes. Next Steps and Admiration Machado said she had American backing to depart Venezuela. She has declared her intention to go back, though the specifics remain uncertain how or when. Stern indicated his group would not be involved in that operation, as it worked only on getting people out of countries, not bringing them back. “That’s for her to determine and for her to decide. But I think she should not go back. But she wants to. She is a genuine inspiration,” he concluded.