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This audacious getaway of political leader María Corina Machado entailed a long, “scary” and very wet boat journey in the pitch black of night, as detailed by the American man who says he led the operation.

A Dangerous Nocturnal Voyage

The rescue organizer, who heads a nonprofit rescue organisation, detailed the operation in a newly published media appearance. “It was dangerous. It was terrifying,” said Stern, an ex-special forces operative, describing rough and moonless seas 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 higher the waves, the harder it is for radar to see,” he remarked.

He recalled meeting Machado out at sea after she departed from the country, where she had been lying low for over a year due to fear of persecution by the government of President Nicolás Maduro.

The Step-by-Step Extraction

She boarded his boat for a 13- to 14-hour trip to an secret location to board a flight, as part of orchestrated just four days earlier. The operation occurred at midnight – very little moon, some cloud coverage, very hard to see, boats have no lights. 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 very tired,” and noted about twenty-four people were directly involved within his team.

Confirmation and Disguise

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

Stern did not divulge specifics about the ground segment, referencing his company’s future work in the region.

Funding and US Role

He told media the endeavor was financed by “a few generous donors” – with no US officials involved. “The US government did not contribute a single penny, at least not that I know of,” Stern asserted.

He clarified, though, 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

The opposition leader stated she had American backing to leave Venezuela. She has announced plans to go back, though the specifics remain uncertain the method or timing.

Stern said his group would not be involved in a return mission, as it worked only 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.