🔗 Share this article From within that Caracas 'fort' to a Manhattan courtroom: The Venezuelan leader's apprehension through pictures and maps. The US state the armed forces mission aimed at apprehending the South American nation's leader involved many weeks of careful preparation, yet the moment Donald Trump issued the order to commence, the mission dubbed "Absolute Resolve" concluded after about 150 minutes. The unexpected pre-dawn strike on Saturday represented a historic incident within modern politics and resulted in the detention for Venezuela's president and his spouse, Cilia Flores. Seized by troops belonging to an elite US army unit as they attempted to flee into a fortified secure chamber, the pair are currently in custody at a holding facility within New York City and are confronting narco-terrorism accusations. The Dawn Raid on the Military Complex At sunrise that morning, the extent of the military operation in Caracas, Venezuela's capital, became apparent. Images of Fuerte Tiuna, a massive army installation where key officials reside, show destroyed structures and charred, smoking vehicles. It was at this base that the president and first lady were captured, Venezuelan ruling party leader Nahum Fernández stated. Fuerte Tiuna, the country's biggest armed forces facility, was hit by US strikes in the early hours of that Saturday. Just Moments Earlier - The President Issues the Order The mission commenced with reports of explosions around 2 AM local time (06:00 GMT). American forces disabled electricity to the city, the President has since said, describing it as pitch black and dangerous. The aim was to disable Venezuela's air defences and open up the way for US military helicopters to reach Fuerte Tiuna. "We assessed that we had maintained totally the element of surprise", a senior military officer commented. Targeted sites included the compound, a maritime facility and an airport. Images show Fuerte Tiuna engulfed in flames, with huge flames seen from a great distance. The country announced a national emergency in the wake of the American attacks. Venezuelans have described the way American choppers flew at low altitude over Caracas, en route to the military base. Some of the helicopters came under fire, but were still able to fly, military leaders said. There was significant gunfire," Trump added. US military helicopters soaring above the capital, with plumes of smoke from prior bombings plainly seen. A Lightning-Fast Ground Assault After landing, forces from an elite special operations unit, moved quickly. They gained access to the compound at 02:01 local time, and the presidential couple surrendered without a struggle, according to accounts. But, further information emerged. The Maduros tried to escape into a secure location, described as a heavily fortified bunker. The secure room is all steel, and he wasn't able to make it inside as our personnel were so fast. It featured a very thick door, a massive door," Trump informed the media. "He made it the entrance. He could not to close it." But even if they had managed to get into the safe room, troops could have breached it in approximately "47 seconds". From Caracas to New York City Now in US custody, the couple were transported approximately 3,400 kilometers, to Manhattan. They were flown out of Caracas via chopper, and transferred to the USS Iwo Jima, a warship stationed in the Caribbean. The operation was back in international waters by 04:29. It was on the ship where an iconic image of the whole operation emerged - Maduro in handcuffs, with hearing protection and a type of blindfold resembling opaque glasses. A photograph showing the detained leader reportedly taken on board the USS Iwo Jima. After leaving the ship, his initial stop was to the US Navy base at Guantánamo Bay. They were then flown on a government plane to Stewart Air National Guard Base in New York state, before a final helicopter transfer to Manhattan. An aircraft carrying the Maduros touches down on a landing pad in Manhattan. Maduro was spotted showing a V-sign upon arrival at the landing site in New York. Heavy security was present around the helipad as the Maduros arrived in New York City. Facing Justice on US Territory That same day, a video emerged showing the detainee inside the federal drug agency's headquarters in the city. The couple are presently being held at a federal holding facility in the city. They face charges with conspiracy to commit narco-terrorism and cocaine trafficking, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and plots to acquire such weapons and destructive devices to use against America. "They will soon face the complete force of the US legal system in the United States in American courts," the Attorney General declared. Footage shows the leader's entry into American and transport into custody.