The daring getaway of political leader María Corina Machado entailed a lengthy, frightening and soaking boat journey in the pitch black of night, as detailed by the American man who says he led the operation.
Bryan Stern, who leads a nonprofit rescue organisation, outlined the mission in a newly published interview. It was perilous. It was terrifying,” stated Stern, a US special forces veteran, describing rough and moonless seas that simultaneously offered ideal concealment for the escape.
“The sea conditions were ideal for us, but not water you'd choose to sail on ... the bigger the swells, the more difficult radar detection becomes,” Stern said.
He described meeting Machado out at sea after she departed from the country, where she had been lying low for over a year fearing persecution by the government of President Nicolás Maduro.
Machado embarked on his boat for a 13- to 14-hour journey to an undisclosed location to catch a plane, in a mission planned just four days earlier. “This was in the middle of the night – minimal moonlight, some cloud coverage, extremely low visibility, vessels running dark. Everyone was quite damp. My crew and I were drenched. She was pretty cold and wet, too. She endured a grueling passage,” Stern added.
Regarding her state, he commented, She was elated. She was thrilled. She was exhausted,” and noted about two dozen people were actively participating within his team.
A representative for Machado confirmed that Stern’s foundation was behind the operation, which began on Tuesday. This report comes after previous reporting that Machado used a wig and costume to flee her hideout in a outskirts of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.
Stern did not divulge specifics about the land operation, referencing his organization's ongoing operations in the country.
He told media the endeavor was financed by “several benefactors” – none of whom were US government figures involved. “The US government did not contribute a single penny, to my knowledge,” Stern said.
He clarified, though, that his group did “unofficially collaborate” with the American armed forces regarding locations and strategy, primarily to prevent being targeted by airstrikes.
The opposition leader stated she had American backing to depart Venezuela. She has declared her intention to go back, 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 bringing them back. “That’s for her to determine for herself. But I think she should not go back. Yet she is determined. She is a genuine inspiration,” he concluded.
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