Disguises, freezing waves, and a special forces veteran: Inside mission to sneak Nobel winner out of Venezuela

BBC News - WorldCenterEN 4 min read 100% complete December 12, 2025 at 03:27 PM

AI Summary

long article 4 min

A US special forces veteran, Bryan Stern, led a rescue operation, dubbed "Operation Golden Dynamite," to extract Venezuelan opposition leader and Nobel laureate María Corina Machado from Venezuela. Machado had been living in hiding since the disputed elections and hadn't been seen publicly since January. The operation, carried out by Stern's Grey Bull Rescue Foundation, involved disguises, two boats navigating rough seas, and a flight to Oslo, Norway, where Machado arrived safely to collect her Nobel Peace Prize on Wednesday. Grey Bull, which specializes in rescue missions, had been building a presence in the Caribbean, including Venezuela, in preparation for potential operations. The organization was contacted by Machado's team to extract her from the country due to the risks she faced as a prominent opposition figure.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Oslo 50% United States 50% Grey Bull Rescue Foundation 70% Bryan Stern ×280% Venezuela ×480% María Corina Machado ×5100%

Keywords

rescue operation 90% venezuela 80% maría corina machado 80% nobel laureate 70% bryan stern 70% grey bull rescue foundation 60% political opposition 50% special forces veteran 50% evacuation 40%