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American officials claim the military operation aimed at apprehending the South American nation's president took many weeks of planning, but when the US President issued the order to commence, "Operation Absolute Resolve" concluded after approximately 150 minutes.

The unexpected early-morning assault this past weekend represented a historic event within modern politics and resulted in the detention of Venezuela's president and his wife, Cilia Flores.

Captured by troops from an elite American military force while they tried to flee inside a heavily secured safe room, the pair are now detained in a detention centre within New York City and are confronting drug trafficking and terrorism indictments.

A Early Morning Assault against Fuerte Tiuna

With daybreak that morning, the extent of the armed intervention in Caracas, the nation's capital, was evident.

Images of the vast military base, an enormous military complex where top government officials reside, reveal blasted buildings and charred, smoking vehicles.

The location was this facility where Maduro and his wife were captured, a senior political figure a party official reported.

Just Moments Earlier - The President Issues the Order

The mission began amid reports of explosions at about 02:00 in Caracas (6:00 Greenwich Mean Time).

American forces cut power to the city, Trump later described, calling it "dark and deadly".

The aim was to disable the nation's air defense systems and clear the way for American assault helicopters to reach the target.

Our evaluation was that we successfully kept totally the advantage of surprise," a senior military officer stated.

Strike locations encompassed the compound, a maritime facility and an airport. Pictures depict Fuerte Tiuna on fire, with massive fires seen for miles.

Residents have described the way US military helicopters flew low above the city, en route to the military base.

Some of the helicopters came under fire, however were still able to fly, military leaders stated.

"It was a lot of gunfire," the President added.

A Rapid Ground Assault

Once on the ground, forces from an elite special operations unit, moved quickly.

They gained access to the compound at 02:01 Caracas time, and the Maduros surrendered without resistance, as per reports.

However, further information emerged. The Maduros tried to escape into a safe place, described as a military "fortress".

"The safe place is all steel, and he wasn't able to get inside as our personnel were too quick.

"It was an extremely heavy entryway, a very heavy door," the President informed the media. He reached the entrance. He could not to close it."

But even if they had succeeded to get into the bunker, forces could have breached it in approximately "47 seconds".

From Caracas to New York City

Now in US custody, the couple were transported some 3,400 kilometers, to Manhattan.

They were flown from the capital via chopper, and taken to a US warship, a naval vessel positioned in the Caribbean. The operation was completed in international waters before 4:30 AM.

It was on the ship that an iconic image of the whole operation was captured - the president shackled, wearing ear protectors and a type of blindfold resembling opaque glasses.

From the USS Iwo Jima, his initial stop was to the US Navy base at Guantánamo Bay.

They then traveled on a government plane to Stewart Air National Guard Base in New York, and then via helicopter into New York City.

Confronting The Legal System in American Soil

On Saturday, a video was released depicting the detainee at the federal drug agency's main office in New York.

He and Cilia Flores are now being held at a federal holding facility in the city.

They face charges including planning narco-terrorism and cocaine trafficking, possession of automatic weapons and destructive devices, and conspiracy to acquire such weapons and destructive devices against the US.

They are set to encounter the full wrath of American justice on American soil in American courts," a senior legal official declared.

Footage documents Maduro's arrival into American and transport to detention.