🔗 Share this article From within that Caracas 'fort' to the New York courtroom: Maduro's apprehension through photographs and geographic charts. American officials claim their military operation aimed at apprehending Venezuela's leader took months of careful preparation, however the moment the US President gave the command to launch, the mission dubbed "Absolute Resolve" concluded after about 150 minutes. The surprise pre-dawn strike on Saturday marked an unprecedented event within modern politics and resulted in the detention for Venezuela's president along with his spouse, Cilia Flores. Seized by troops from an elite US army unit as they tried to flee into a fortified secure chamber, the couple are currently in custody at a holding facility in New York and face drug trafficking and terrorism indictments. A Early Morning Assault against the Military Complex With daybreak on Saturday, the scale of the armed intervention in the capital, Venezuela's primary city, became apparent. Photographs from the vast military base, a massive army installation in which key officials live, depict bombed out structures as well as burned, smouldering cars. The location was this compound where the president and first lady were apprehended, a senior political figure a party official reported. The major military base, the country's largest armed forces facility, was targeted in American airstrikes early on that Saturday. Hours Earlier - Trump Issues the Order The mission started with reports of blasts at approximately 02:00 in Caracas (06:00 GMT). The US cut power to the city, Trump has since said, describing it as "dark and deadly". The aim was to disable Venezuela's air defense systems and open up the way for American assault helicopters to reach the target. "We assessed that we successfully kept completely the element of surprise", a senior military officer remarked. Strike locations encompassed the compound, a port and an airport. Pictures show the complex on fire, with huge flames visible for miles. The country declared a national emergency following the American attacks. Residents reported the way US military helicopters flew at low altitude above the city, en route to the military base. A number of the aircraft were shot at, but were still able to fly, military leaders said. There was significant gunfire," the President noted. American aircraft soaring above the capital, with columns of smoke from prior bombings clearly visible. The Rapid On-the-Ground Operation After landing, forces from the US Army's Delta Force, acted with speed. They entered to the compound just after 2 AM local time, and the Maduros surrendered without resistance, according to accounts. However, more details were provided. They attempted to flee into a secure location, described as a military "fortress". The secure room is all steel, and he wasn't able to make it inside because our guys were too quick. It featured an extremely heavy door, a very heavy door," the President told reporters. "He made it to the door. He could not to shut it." But even if they had succeeded to enter the bunker, troops could have blown it open in about "under a minute." From Caracas to New York City Now in US custody, the couple were transported approximately 3,400 kilometers, to New York City. They were taken by air from the capital via chopper, and transferred to a US warship, a warship positioned in the Caribbean. The operation was back "over the water" before 4:30 AM. Aboard the vessel that an iconic image of the whole operation emerged - Maduro in handcuffs, wearing ear protectors and a type of blindfold that looked like opaque glasses. A photograph showing the detained leader said to be taken on board the warship. After leaving the ship, his initial stop was to the US Navy base at Guantánamo Bay. They then traveled via official aircraft to a military airfield in New York state, and then via helicopter into New York City. An aircraft transporting the Maduros touches down at a helipad in New York City. The Venezuelan leader could be seen flashing a peace sign when he arrived at a heliport in New York. Heavy security surrounded the landing zone during the arrival in Manhattan. Confronting Justice in American Soil That same day, footage emerged depicting the detainee at the Drug Enforcement Agency's (DEA) headquarters in the city. He and Cilia Flores are now detained in a detention centre within the city. They face charges with conspiracy to commit narco-terrorism and cocaine trafficking, owning automatic weapons and explosives, and plots to acquire such weapons and destructive devices to use against America. "They will soon face the complete force of American justice on American soil in American courts," a senior legal official proclaimed. Footage shows Maduro's arrival in US and journey into custody.