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American officials assert the military operation to capture the South American nation's leader took many weeks of careful preparation, yet the moment Donald Trump issued the order to launch, "Operation Absolute Resolve" concluded after about two and a half hours.

The surprise pre-dawn assault this past weekend represented a never-before-seen incident in contemporary international relations and led directly to the detention for Nicolás Maduro along with his wife, Cilia Flores.

Captured by soldiers from an elite American military force while they tried to flee inside a heavily secured panic room, the pair are now being held in a detention centre in New York and face drug trafficking and terrorism indictments.

A Early Morning Raid on the Military Complex

At sunrise on Saturday, the extent of the armed intervention in the capital, Venezuela's capital, was evident.

Images of Fuerte Tiuna, an enormous army installation in which senior leadership reside, reveal blasted buildings as well as burned, smoking vehicles.

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

Hours Earlier - The President Issues the Order

The mission began amid reports of blasts at approximately 2 AM in Caracas (06:00 GMT).

The US disabled electricity across the capital, Trump has since said, describing it as "dark and deadly".

The goal was to neutralize Venezuela's air defense systems and clear the way for American assault helicopters to get to Fuerte Tiuna.

"We assessed that we had maintained completely the element of surprise", the top general commented.

Targeted sites encompassed the base, a maritime facility and an airfield. Pictures depict the complex on fire, with huge flames visible from a great distance.

Venezuelans have described how American choppers flew at low altitude over Caracas, en route to Fuerte Tiuna.

A number of the aircraft came under fire, but managed to continue flying, officials said.

There was significant gunfire," Trump noted.

A Lightning-Fast Ground Assault

Once on the ground, troops from the US Army's Delta Force, sprang into action.

They gained access the facility at 02:01 local time, and the presidential couple "gave up" without a struggle, as per accounts.

But, more details were provided. They attempted to flee into a secure location, described as a military "fortress".

"The safe place is all steel, and he wasn't able to make it to the door because our guys were too quick.

It featured a very thick entryway, a very heavy door," Trump informed the media. He reached the entrance. He was unable to shut it."

However, even assuming they had succeeded to enter the bunker, troops could have blown it open in approximately "under a minute."

From the Capital to New York City

Currently under American detention, the couple were transported some 3,400 kilometers, to New York City.

They were taken by air out of Caracas by helicopter, and taken to a US warship, a naval vessel positioned in the Caribbean. The team was back in international waters by 04:29.

It was on the ship where an iconic image of the whole operation was captured - Maduro shackled, with hearing protection 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.

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

Facing Justice in American Soil

On Saturday, a video emerged showing Maduro inside the federal drug agency's main office in New York.

He and Cilia Flores are now being held in a detention centre in the city.

They have been charged including planning narco-terrorism and cocaine trafficking, owning automatic weapons and explosives, and conspiracy to acquire machine guns and bombs to use against America.

"They will soon face the complete force of American justice on American soil within US courtrooms," a senior legal official proclaimed.

Video documents Maduro's arrival in US and journey to detention.