🔗 Share this article From within that Venezuelan capital 'fort' to a New York courtroom: The Venezuelan leader's seizure through images and geographic charts. American officials assert the armed forces mission to capture Venezuela's president took months of careful preparation, yet the moment Donald Trump issued the command to commence, the mission dubbed "Absolute Resolve" was completed in about 150 minutes. The unexpected pre-dawn assault on Saturday marked a historic incident within modern politics and culminated in the arrest of Venezuela's president and his spouse, Cilia Flores. Apprehended by soldiers belonging to an elite American military force when they tried to escape inside a heavily secured secure chamber, the pair are currently detained in a detention centre within New York City and face drug trafficking and terrorism accusations. The Early Morning Raid on the Military Complex With daybreak on Saturday, the magnitude of the armed intervention in Caracas, the nation's capital, was evident. Pictures of Fuerte Tiuna, a massive military complex where key officials live, reveal blasted buildings as well as charred, smoking cars. It was at this facility where the president and first lady were apprehended, Venezuelan ruling party leader a party official stated. The major military base, the country's largest armed forces facility, was hit by US strikes early on Saturday morning. Just Moments Earlier - The President Issues the Command "Operation Absolute Resolve" began with reports of explosions at approximately 2 AM local time (06:00 GMT). The US cut power across the capital, the President has since said, calling it "dark and deadly". The objective was to disable Venezuela's air defense systems and clear the way for US military helicopters to reach the target. Our evaluation was that we successfully kept completely the advantage of surprise," the top general remarked. Strike locations included the compound, a port and an airfield. Pictures depict the complex engulfed in flames, with massive fires visible from a great distance. The country announced a national emergency following the US strikes. Residents reported the way US military helicopters flew at low altitude above the city, en route to Fuerte Tiuna. Some of the helicopters came under fire, but were still able to fly, military leaders said. "It was a lot of weapons fire," Trump added. American aircraft flying over Caracas, with columns of smoke from earlier air strikes plainly seen. A Lightning-Fast Ground Assault Once on the ground, troops from an elite special operations unit, acted with speed. They gained access the facility at 02:01 Caracas time, and the Maduros surrendered without resistance, according to reports. However, more details emerged. They tried to escape into a secure location, described as a military "fortress". The secure room is all steel, and he wasn't able to get inside as our personnel were so fast. "It was a very thick door, a very heavy door," Trump told reporters. "He made it the entrance. He could not to close it." But even if they had managed to get into the bunker, troops could have breached it in approximately "47 seconds". From the Capital to Manhattan Currently under American detention, Nicolás Maduro and his wife were moved approximately 3,400 kilometers, to Manhattan. They were taken by air out of Caracas by helicopter, and transferred to the USS Iwo Jima, a naval vessel stationed off the coast. The team was completed in international waters before 4:30 AM. Aboard the vessel that one of the defining pictures from the entire mission was captured - Maduro shackled, wearing ear protectors and darkened eyewear that looked like dark sunglasses. A photograph showing the detained leader reportedly captured aboard the USS Iwo Jima. After leaving the ship, his initial stop was to the US Navy base in Cuba. They then traveled on a government plane to a military airfield in New York state, before a final helicopter transfer into New York City. An aircraft transporting the Maduros touches down at a helipad in Manhattan. The Venezuelan leader could be seen flashing a V-sign when he arrived at the landing site in New York. Tight security was present around the landing zone during the arrival in Manhattan. Facing The Legal System on American Soil That same day, footage was released showing the detainee inside the Drug Enforcement Agency's (DEA) main office in New York. The couple are now being held at a federal holding facility in the city. They have been charged including planning narco-terrorism and cocaine trafficking, possession of machine guns and explosives, and conspiracy to acquire such weapons and bombs to use against America. They are set to encounter the full wrath of American justice in the United States in American courts," a senior legal official declared. Video shows the leader's entry into American and transport into custody.