How María Corina Machado Secretly Fled Venezuela with U.S. Help

Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado made a daring attempt this week to reach Oslo, Norway, with the aim of personally receiving the Nobel Peace Prize. However, her journey from hiding to safety was fraught with immense peril. To reach Norway, she had to evade military checkpoints, navigate turbulent seas, and place her trust in the safety of her vessels against potential threats, including possible attacks by US drones.

Machado departed Venezuela aboard a fleet of several boats, aiming for a Caribbean island where a plane awaited her. She embarked on this hazardous mission at a time when the surrounding waters were under intense US scrutiny for alleged drug trafficking. These waters had recently witnessed deadly attacks on vessels, heightening the risks of her maritime passage.

Despite the extreme dangers, Machado eventually reached Oslo, albeit later than intended. By the time she arrived on Wednesday night, the Nobel Prize ceremony had concluded. Nonetheless, her supporters celebrated her successful and perilous journey, praising the courage and resilience required to evade capture.

For the Venezuelan government under President Nicolás Maduro, Machado’s arrival in Oslo represents a significant political embarrassment. It demonstrated that she remains a formidable figure in the country’s opposition, even after spending the past year eluding the government’s watchful eye.

Machado’s extraction was facilitated by a private US-based organisation staffed by retired military officers. The operation relied heavily on special missions expertise and intelligence training, which proved indispensable in ensuring her safe passage. Without their coordinated support, leaving Venezuela would have been nearly impossible, as Maduro’s administration was actively pursuing her.

The organisation, named Grey Bull Rescue, is led by Brian Stern. In a recent interview, Stern emphasised the unique challenges of this mission: “We are not the first to attempt such operations, but rescuing someone of Machado’s prominence presents an entirely different level of risk.”

Based in Tampa, Florida, Grey Bull Rescue has conducted over 800 such operations. The group was originally founded following the chaotic US troop withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, drawing on the combat experience of Stern, who served in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Stern noted that rescuing high-profile figures is far more complex than typical extractions, highlighting Machado as the primary challenge of this particular mission.

While a representative confirmed that Grey Bull Rescue assisted Machado, Stern’s detailed claims have not been independently verified. The Wall Street Journal first reported extensively on her clandestine departure from Venezuela.

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