🔗 Share this article From that Venezuelan capital stronghold all the way to a New York courtroom: The Venezuelan leader's capture in photographs and geographic charts. The US assert their armed forces mission aimed at apprehending Venezuela's president involved months of careful preparation, yet when Donald Trump gave the order to launch, the mission dubbed "Absolute Resolve" only lasted about two and a half hours. The surprise early-morning strike on Saturday marked a historic event within modern politics and led directly to the detention of Nicolás Maduro along with his spouse, Cilia Flores de Maduro. Captured by soldiers from a top-tier US army unit as they attempted to flee inside a fortified secure chamber, the couple are now being held in a detention centre in New York and face drug trafficking and terrorism charges. The Early Morning Assault against Fuerte Tiuna At sunrise that morning, the magnitude of the armed intervention in the capital, Venezuela's primary city, was clear. Photographs of Fuerte Tiuna, an enormous army installation in which key officials live, show bombed out buildings as well as charred, smoking cars. The location was this base where Maduro and his wife were apprehended, a senior political figure a party official indicated. The major military base, the country's biggest armed forces facility, was struck by US strikes early on that Saturday. Just Moments Earlier - Trump Gives the Order "Operation Absolute Resolve" commenced amid reports of explosions around 02:00 in Caracas (6:00 Greenwich Mean Time). American forces cut power to the city, the President later described, describing it as pitch black and dangerous. The goal was to disable Venezuela's air defense systems and clear the path for American assault helicopters to reach the target. "We assessed that we had maintained completely the element of surprise", the top general commented. Targeted sites included the base, a port and an airfield. Pictures show the complex engulfed in flames, with huge flames visible from a great distance. Venezuela announced a state of emergency following the American attacks. Venezuelans reported the way US military helicopters flew at low altitude above the city, heading for the military base. A number of the aircraft were shot at, but were still able to fly, officials said. "It was a lot of weapons fire," the President added. US military helicopters soaring above Caracas, with columns of smoke from prior bombings plainly seen. The Lightning-Fast On-the-Ground Operation After landing, troops from the US Army's Delta Force, moved quickly. They gained access the facility just after 2 AM Caracas time, and the Maduros "gave up" without resistance, as per accounts. But, more details were provided. They tried to escape into a secure location, described as a heavily fortified bunker. "The safe place is all steel, and he failed to get to the door because our guys were so fast. "It was a very thick entryway, a very heavy door," the President informed the media. He reached to the door. He could not to close it." However, even assuming they had succeeded to enter the bunker, troops could have breached it in approximately "47 seconds". From the Capital to New York City Now in US custody, the couple were moved some 2,100 miles, to New York City. They were taken by air out of Caracas by helicopter, and transferred to the USS Iwo Jima, a warship positioned off the coast. The operation was completed in international waters before 4:30 AM. It was on the ship that one of the defining pictures from the entire mission was captured - Maduro shackled, wearing ear protectors and a type of blindfold resembling opaque glasses. A photograph of Maduro said to be captured aboard the USS Iwo Jima. From the USS Iwo Jima, he was first flown to the US Navy base at Guantánamo Bay. They then traveled on a government plane to Stewart Air National Guard Base in New York, and then via helicopter into New York City. An aircraft carrying the detainees touches down on a landing pad in Manhattan. The Venezuelan leader was spotted flashing a V-sign upon arrival at the landing site in the city. Tight security surrounded the helipad during the arrival in Manhattan. Facing Justice in American Soil On Saturday, a video emerged showing Maduro 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 have been charged including planning drug-related terrorism and cocaine trafficking, possession of automatic weapons and explosives, and plots to possess machine guns and bombs against the US. They are set to encounter the full wrath of American justice on American soil in American courts," the Attorney General proclaimed. Footage documents Maduro's arrival into American and journey to detention.