Two weeks ago, several newspapers in the United States published a sponsored article announcing the launch of the Latin Shield Operation by Grey Bull. At the end of the text, it became clear that the operation was not entirely humanitarian: they were requesting donations and registration for those to be rescued.
It is said that the first client was María Corina Machado, and someone (who remains anonymous) paid the necessary fees.
By: La Tabla/Data Journalism Platform 13 DEC 2025
The paramilitary organization (composed of veteran soldiers) Grey Bull Rescue, led by former U.S. military Brian Stern, announced through a statement released by Access Newswire on December 2 that it has activated the Latin Shield Operation to evacuate American citizens residing in Venezuela, in anticipation of a potential armed conflict.
The official text states that the elite team of the agency (headquartered in Tampa, Florida) comprising veterans of special operations and intelligence is prepared to execute rapid rescues by air, land, and sea from Venezuela and neighboring countries.
Stern claimed that the organization has spent months identifying air and maritime access points, establishing logistical infrastructure, and deploying communication systems backed by Starlink (the satellite internet company owned by magnate Elon Musk), to ensure coordination in case the local network fails.
The statement confirms that Grey Bull Rescue was physically present in the region since at least November, indicating an operational presence within Venezuelan territory to create exit corridors in the event of an airspace closure or the establishment of military checkpoints.
Stern warned that, in escalation scenarios, Americans could become “trapped and stranded without warning, without options and without help.”
The statement also acknowledges that the organization anticipates the need for surgical and complex rescues, especially in areas where militias, cartels, or the state security forces escalate violence. The former military officer described the situation as a “dynamic, complex, and high-threat environment,” asserting that Grey Bull Rescue “operates in the gray area, between diplomacy, conflict, and disaster.”
8,000 rescues in 6 months?
Grey Bull Rescue claims to have completed over 800 missions in war-torn and disaster areas, saving around 8,400 lives, although these figures have not been independently verified.
The organization was legally registered in April 2025, meaning its official existence is less than six months.
Before its establishment, Stern reportedly participated in ad hoc rescue operations in places like Afghanistan, Haiti, Gaza, Lebanon, and Ukraine. The organization recently executed the Island Cross Operation, evacuating about 400 Americans from Jamaica during Hurricane Melissa, which served as a platform to establish its presence in the Caribbean and prepare for deployment to Venezuela.
Stern, who also leads a nonprofit in Sarasota, Florida, dedicated to veterans with neurological issues and addictions, expressed his support in the statement for U.S. President Donald Trump’s anti-drug trafficking policies and the “regime” of Nicolás Maduro.
“We unconditionally support President Trump’s policies to neutralize threats to the American people,” he declared.
The fundraising initiative
The note released by Grey Bull Rescue aims not only to inform about the Latin Shield Operation but also to raise funds and financial contributions to support it. At the end of the statement, online forms are included for interested parties to:
– Donate resources to sustain rescue operations.
– Register relatives or acquaintances residing in Venezuela who may require extraction in case of an emergency.
This component confirms that the operation is presented as a corporate project for fundraising, beyond just a humanitarian narrative.
Corporate communication services
The dissemination of the statement was handled by NS Public Relations, a company hired by Grey Bull Rescue for communication and public relations services. This is a professional corporate service, presumably expensive, which makes up part of the entity’s business structure. This detail evidences that the rescue operation is also supported by marketing and business promotion mechanisms rather than solely through voluntary or altruistic action.
Projection following the Machado case
Grey Bull Rescue’s visibility soared after the alleged rescue or extraction of opposition leader María Corina Machado, a deed that Brian Stern himself has publicly claimed credit for. However, there is currently no verifiable connection or documentary evidence confirming the organization’s participation in that evacuation. The only link to the episode is the assertion from the spokesperson of the entity, which raises doubts about the credibility of their operations.
In another note, we will analyze and project the consequences of the presence of such mercenary operators within Venezuelan territory, in the context of the military threat from the U.S. government.