WATCH | Video captures Machado’s ‘daring and dangerous’ escape from Venezuela to accept Nobel Prize

Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado escaped the country last month, defying a decade-long travel ban, after she spent almost a year in hiding to receive her Nobel Peace Prize in Norway in December. The video of her escape and rescue by the US-based Grey Bull has been released, showing her undertaking a high-risk route to get her prestigious award.

Machado boarded a boat from the Venezuelan coast and sailed to a rendezvous point in the Caribbean Sea, where she was picked up by Grey Bull founder and special forces veteran Bryan Stern and his team.

The two-minute-long video released by the Grey Bull showed the moment Machado reached and boarded Stern’s vessel in the middle of the night.

“Hey everyone, this is Bryan from Grey Bull Rescue. Today is December 9th. The boys and I are in Curacao, departing on a boat to go get Maria Corina Machado. We’ve been out of the region now for over a month, working at Venezuela hops. But this is the big enchilada. Getting her from where she is to where she needs to be is definitely a challenge. We’ll see how this goes,” Stern says at the beginning of the video.

As Machado’s boat is seen approaching his vessel, Stern is heard saying, “That’s them, that’s them, that’s them.” After confirming Machado’s identity, Stern helps her into his boat in the darkness of the night.

“Hi, María. My name is Bryan. Nice to meet you. I got you,” he says as she gets on.

“So wet and so cold,” Machado is heard saying in the clip.

In another shot, Machado is seen wearing a dark jacket and hat. “I am María Corina Machado. I’m alive. I’m safe and very grateful to Grey Bull,” she says, directly looking into the camera.

At the end of the video, several images of Machado with Stern and his team are seen. At the same time, Stern’s voice is heard confirming they had reached the Nobel laureate.

“Jackpot, jackpot, jackpot. Objective Golden Dynamite,” Stern says before saying that they are headed to Curacao, an island near Venezuela.

Stern earlier said that they reached the shore early morning following a long, cold and tense journey. From there, Machado boarded a plane to Norway, where she was supposed to accept her Nobel Prize and meet her family.

Last month, Grey Bull said that the extraction operation lasted nearly 16 hours and was carried out through rough water in the middle of the night. Stern said that the operation was funded by anonymous donors, although he acknowledged that his team informed the US military of their presence at sea. Led by Stern, the rescue group has conducted several civilian extractions across the world and carried out at least 800 operations.

Machado had earlier refused to reveal details of her extraction operation, citing safety concerns. “One day I will be able to tell you, because certainly I don’t want to put them in risk right now,” she had said.

In a post on X, Grey Bull Rescue wrote, “Big thanks to my team @greybullrescue who just completed their 801st mission in 4 years-8400+lives saved. Huge shoutout to our partners and sources who made Operation: GOLDEN DYNAMITE the daring and dangerous success it was. Of course, our GLORIOUS sponsors and DONORS. These ops cost money.”

“@POTUS @PeteHegseth @marcorubio…. Thank you for your leadership. Words backed by actions, at speed …. Is what you and Grey Bull Rescue are all about,” it added.