Post by : Rameen Ariff

Venezuelan opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Corina Machado undertook a daring and secretive journey to leave her country and travel to Oslo to accept the prestigious award. Facing constant surveillance and the real threat of arrest by Venezuelan authorities, Machado could not use conventional exit routes, prompting the planning of a high-risk evacuation operation known as Operation Golden Dynamite. The operation, named after Alfred Nobel who invented dynamite, was designed to safely move Machado out of Venezuela despite the intense dangers involved.

According to Bryan Stern, a U.S. special forces veteran and founder of the Grey Bull Rescue Foundation, Machado had to travel in disguise to avoid detection. She was covertly transported to the coast, where the most perilous phase of the mission began. Traversing choppy, freezing seas, Machado was transferred between two boats under the cover of darkness, navigating waves that reached up to ten feet. Stern described the situation as extremely dangerous, noting that the team relied on flashlights to communicate and ensure the operation remained undiscovered.

During the sea evacuation, meticulous precautions were taken to conceal Machado’s identity. Her face was masked, and her digital footprint carefully erased to prevent any tracking. The operation also protected the Venezuelans who assisted her, keeping their identities secret and using deception tactics so some participants were unaware of the full mission details. After reaching a secure location, Machado boarded a flight out of the region, completing the mission safely. Stern emphasized her resilience throughout the journey, noting that she remained calm and did not complain despite being cold and soaked from the harsh conditions.

This successful escape followed a previous attempt that had failed. Machado’s team contacted Stern in early December, and the operation was executed swiftly, with deployment on a Sunday and completion by Tuesday. Several escape routes were considered, but ultimately, the sea evacuation offered the best chance to evade Venezuelan security forces.

Maria Corina Machado, who has long been a vocal critic of President Nicolas Maduro, was barred from participating in Venezuela’s July 2024 elections, which she claims were stolen. Her Nobel Peace Prize was awarded for her efforts to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy in Venezuela. Operation Golden Dynamite not only ensured her safe passage but also highlighted the risks faced by activists challenging authoritarian regimes and the lengths taken to protect democracy advocates.

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