How a US Special Forces Veteran Assisted María Corina Machado Flee Her Homeland

This daring escape of political leader María Corina Machado involved a lengthy, frightening and very wet sea crossing in the pitch black of night, as detailed by the American man who says he led the operation.

A Dangerous Nocturnal Crossing

Bryan Stern, who heads a nonprofit rescue organisation, outlined the operation in a recent interview. “It was dangerous. It was scary,” said Stern, a US special forces veteran, recounting rough and moonless seas that also provided convenient cover for the flight.

“The sea conditions were ideal for us, but not water you'd choose to sail on ... the higher the waves, the more difficult radar detection becomes,” Stern said.

He described meeting Machado out at sea after she left Venezuela, where she had been lying low since August 2024 due to fear of targeting by the administration of President Nicolás Maduro.

The Detailed Escape Plan

Machado embarked on his boat for a half-day journey to an secret location to board a flight, in a mission orchestrated just four days earlier. “This was in the middle of the night – very little moon, some cloud coverage, extremely low visibility, boats have no lights. All of us were pretty wet. My team and I were soaked to the gills. She was pretty cold and wet, too. She endured a grueling passage,” Stern noted.

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

Verification and Disguise

A representative for Machado confirmed that Stern’s foundation was behind the extraction, which began on Tuesday. This account follows previous reporting that Machado wore a wig and a disguise to leave her safe house in a outskirts of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

The veteran declined to share specifics about the land operation, referencing his organization's ongoing operations in the region.

Financing and American Involvement

He stated publicly the mission was funded through “a few generous donors” – with no US government figures involved. Official US funds were not used, at least not that I know of,” Stern said.

He said, however, that his group did coordinate informally with the American armed forces regarding locations and strategy, primarily to prevent being targeted by airstrikes.

Future Plans and Inspiration

The opposition leader stated she had American backing to leave Venezuela. She has declared her intention to return home, though the specifics remain uncertain how or when.

Stern said his group would play no part in a return mission, as it worked only on getting people out of countries, not in. “She must decide that for herself. But I think she should not go back. Yet she is determined. She is a genuine inspiration,” he concluded.