María Corina Machado, a Venezuelan opposition leader, was rescued by an American private rescue team, Grey Bull Rescue Foundation, led by Bryan Stern, a U.S. special forces veteran. The 15-16 hour operation took the team through rough seas to Norway, where Machado would collect her Nobel Peace Prize and be reunited with her family.
The operation was complex and challenging, with Machado having a high profile in Venezuela, making it a risk for the team. Despite this, Stern praised Machado as “a hero of mine” and said being able to facilitate her reunion with her children was “truly a blessing.”
Grey Bull Rescue Foundation, funded by private donors, worked with the U.S. military on positioning and plans but did not receive any funding from the U.S. government. The team faced difficulties in planning and executing the operation within four days.
When asked about reports that Trump administration officials were involved in the rescue, Stern denied meeting Machado in Curaçao and stated he was hired by private donors to conduct the extraction.
Source: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/secret-mission-maria-corina-machado-out-of-venezuela