In a plot straight out of a Hollywood thriller, a U.S. covert team pulled off a breathtaking mission to whisk Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado out of the clutches of a hostile regime.
This high-stakes operation, spanning land, air, and sea, culminated in Machado’s dramatic appearance in Oslo, Norway, just in time for the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony on Dec. 11, 2025.
Machado, a fierce critic of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, had been in hiding since January 2025 after her detention in Caracas for protesting his controversial inauguration.
Leading Venezuela’s primary opposition movement, she’s long challenged Maduro’s grip on power, decrying his regime’s disputed elections and human rights abuses.
Her persistence earned her the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize for advancing democracy, a recognition of her unwavering commitment to a free Venezuela.
Yet, with Maduro’s forces on high alert, her life was in constant danger, forcing her into the shadows until this audacious rescue unfolded.
The extraction was no leisurely getaway—think rough seas, a tiny fishing boat, and waves towering up to 10 feet in the dead of night.
One retired Marine on the team was so battered by the conditions that he spent hours sick over the side, a testament to the grueling journey.
Bryan Stern, head of the Grey Bull Rescue Foundation, didn’t mince words about the risks, saying, “It was dangerous for her — very dangerous for everybody involved, frankly,” on Fox News Radio’s “Brian Kilmeade Show.”
Stern also revealed the emotional weight of the mission, admitting, “She's been a hero of mine for years,” and calling leading the operation the greatest privilege of his career.
Under constant threat of detection by Maduro’s loyalists, the team pressed on, with Machado herself showing remarkable grit throughout the ordeal.
Her stoic resolve didn’t go unnoticed—Stern noted her inspirational demeanor, a quiet strength that likely fueled the team’s determination to succeed.
After navigating treacherous waters and evading capture, Machado finally reached safety, emerging on a balcony at Oslo’s Grand Hotel on Dec. 11, 2025, thousands of miles from danger.
The day prior, on Dec. 10, her daughter, Ana Corina Sosa, had accepted the Nobel Peace Prize on her behalf at Oslo City Hall, a poignant moment amidst the unfolding escape.
Machado’s gratitude extended to President Donald Trump for his administration’s stance against Maduro, dedicating her award to him, while the U.S. ramps up pressure with actions like seizing a tanker allegedly hauling illicit Iranian oil earlier in December 2025.
