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The US state their military operation aimed at apprehending the South American nation's president required months of planning, yet the moment the US President issued the order to commence, the mission dubbed "Absolute Resolve" concluded after approximately 150 minutes.

The unexpected pre-dawn attack on Saturday marked a never-before-seen event in modern politics and led directly to the arrest of Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores de Maduro.

Seized by soldiers from a top-tier US army unit when they attempted to escape inside a heavily secured safe room, the two are now detained in a detention centre in New York and face drug trafficking and terrorism charges.

A Early Morning Assault on the Military Complex

As the sun rose that morning, the extent of the armed intervention in the capital, the nation's capital, was evident.

Pictures of the vast military base, an enormous army installation in which key officials live, show destroyed structures and charred, smouldering vehicles.

The location was this compound where Maduro and his wife were captured, Venezuelan ruling party leader a party official reported.

Hours Before - Trump Issues the Order

"Operation Absolute Resolve" commenced amid reports of explosions at about 2 AM local time (06:00 GMT).

American forces disabled electricity across the capital, the President has since said, calling it pitch black and dangerous.

The aim was to disable Venezuela's air defense systems and clear the path for US military helicopters to reach the target.

Our evaluation was that we had maintained totally the element of surprise", a senior military officer stated.

Strike locations encompassed the compound, a maritime facility and an airfield. Images depict the complex engulfed in flames, with massive fires visible for miles.

Residents have described how American choppers flew low above the city, en route to the military base.

Some of the helicopters were shot at, however were still able to fly, officials stated.

"It was a lot of weapons fire," Trump noted.

A Rapid On-the-Ground Operation

After landing, forces from an elite special operations unit, sprang into action.

They gained access the facility just after 2 AM Caracas time, and the presidential couple "gave up" without resistance, according to accounts.

But, further information emerged. The Maduros tried to escape into a secure location, referred to as a military "fortress".

"The safe place was constructed of steel, and he failed to make it to the door as our personnel were too quick.

"It was an extremely heavy entryway, a very heavy door," Trump told reporters. "He made it to the door. He was unable to close it."

However, even assuming they had succeeded to enter the safe room, forces could have breached it in approximately "47 seconds".

From the Capital to New York City

Now in US custody, Nicolás Maduro and his wife were transported some 2,100 miles, to New York City.

They were taken by air from the capital by helicopter, and transferred to the USS Iwo Jima, a naval vessel stationed off the coast. The team was back in international waters before 4:30 AM.

Aboard the vessel that one of the defining pictures from the entire mission emerged - Maduro in handcuffs, wearing ear protectors and darkened eyewear resembling opaque glasses.

After leaving the ship, he was first flown to the US Navy base in Cuba.

The Maduros then traveled via official aircraft to Stewart Air National Guard Base in New York state, before a final helicopter transfer into New York City.

Confronting Justice in American Soil

On Saturday, footage was released depicting Maduro at the Drug Enforcement Agency's (DEA) headquarters in New York.

The couple are now detained at a federal holding facility within the city.

They have been charged with planning drug-related terrorism and import cocaine, owning automatic weapons and explosives, and plots to possess such weapons and destructive devices against the US.

They are set to encounter the full wrath of the US legal system on American soil in American courts," the Attorney General proclaimed.

Video documents the leader's entry into American and journey to detention.