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American officials state the military operation aimed at apprehending Venezuela's leader required months of planning, however when Donald Trump gave the order to commence, "Operation Absolute Resolve" concluded after approximately 150 minutes.

The shocking early-morning assault this past weekend represented a historic incident in modern politics and culminated in the arrest for Nicolás Maduro along with his spouse, Cilia Flores de Maduro.

Captured by troops from an elite US army unit while they tried to escape into a heavily secured secure chamber, the pair are now in custody in a detention centre within New York City and are confronting narco-terrorism accusations.

The Dawn Raid on the Military Complex

With daybreak on Saturday, the extent of the armed intervention in Caracas, Venezuela's primary city, was clear.

Pictures of Fuerte Tiuna, an enormous military complex where top government officials reside, show destroyed structures as well as charred, smoking vehicles.

The location was this facility that Maduro and his wife were apprehended, a senior political figure Nahum Fernández indicated.

Just Moments Earlier - Trump Gives the Order

The mission started amid reports of explosions at approximately 02:00 local time (6:00 Greenwich Mean Time).

American forces disabled electricity across the capital, the President later described, calling it pitch black and dangerous.

The objective was to disable the nation's air defences and open up the way for American assault helicopters to get to Fuerte Tiuna.

"We assessed that we had maintained completely the advantage of surprise," the top general remarked.

Targeted sites included the base, a maritime facility and an airport. Pictures depict Fuerte Tiuna on fire, with massive fires visible from a great distance.

Venezuelans reported the way US military helicopters flew at low altitude over Caracas, heading for Fuerte Tiuna.

Some of the helicopters were shot at, however managed to continue flying, officials said.

"It was significant weapons fire," the President noted.

A Lightning-Fast Ground Assault

After landing, troops from the US Army's Delta Force, moved quickly.

They entered to the compound just after 2 AM local time, and the presidential couple "gave up" without a struggle, according to accounts.

However, further information were provided. The Maduros attempted to flee into a secure location, referred to 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 so fast.

It featured a very thick door, a massive door," Trump told reporters. "He made it the entrance. He was unable to close it."

However, even assuming they had managed to get into the safe room, troops could have blown it open in approximately "47 seconds".

From the Capital to Manhattan

Now in US custody, the couple were moved approximately 2,100 miles, to Manhattan.

They were taken by air out of Caracas via chopper, and taken to the USS Iwo Jima, a naval vessel stationed in the Caribbean. The team was back in international waters by 04:29.

Aboard the vessel where an iconic image from the entire mission emerged - the president in handcuffs, wearing ear protectors and darkened eyewear resembling dark sunglasses.

After leaving the ship, his initial stop was at the American naval installation in Cuba.

They were then flown on a government plane to a military airfield in New York, and then via helicopter to Manhattan.

Facing The Legal System in American Soil

That same day, a video was released showing the detainee inside the federal drug agency's headquarters in the city.

He and Cilia Flores are presently detained at a federal holding facility within the city.

They have been charged with conspiracy to commit drug-related terrorism and cocaine trafficking, possession of automatic weapons and explosives, and plots to acquire such weapons and destructive devices against the US.

"They will soon face the full wrath of the US legal system in the United States in American courts," the Attorney General proclaimed.

Footage documents Maduro's arrival into American and transport to detention.