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American officials claim their armed forces mission aimed at apprehending Venezuela's president required months of careful preparation, yet when Donald Trump issued the command to commence, "Operation Absolute Resolve" was completed in approximately 150 minutes.

The unexpected early-morning strike on Saturday represented a historic incident in contemporary international relations and culminated in the arrest of Nicolás Maduro along with his spouse, Cilia Flores.

Captured by soldiers belonging to a top-tier US army unit when they attempted to flee inside a heavily secured secure chamber, the two are currently detained in a detention centre within New York City and are confronting narco-terrorism indictments.

The Dawn Raid against the Military Complex

With daybreak on Saturday, the extent of the military operation in the capital, the nation's primary city, was evident.

Images of the vast military base, a massive military complex where top government officials reside, depict destroyed structures and burned, smouldering vehicles.

It was at this base where the president and first lady were captured, Venezuelan ruling party leader Nahum Fernández indicated.

Hours Before - Trump Gives the Command

The mission commenced with reports of blasts around 2 AM in Caracas (6:00 Greenwich Mean Time).

The US disabled electricity across the capital, Trump later described, calling it "dark and deadly".

The goal was to disable the nation's air defense systems and clear the path for American assault helicopters to reach the target.

Our evaluation was that we successfully kept completely the advantage of surprise," the top general commented.

Targeted sites included the compound, a port and an airport. Pictures show the complex engulfed in flames, with massive fires seen for miles.

Venezuelans have described how US military helicopters flew at low altitude over Caracas, en route to the military base.

A number of the aircraft came under fire, but were still able to fly, military leaders said.

"It was significant weapons fire," Trump noted.

The Lightning-Fast Ground Assault

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

They entered to the compound just after 2 AM local time, and the Maduros "gave up" without resistance, according to reports.

But, further information were provided. The Maduros tried to escape into a safe place, referred to as a military "fortress".

The secure room is all steel, and he wasn't able to get to the door because our guys were so fast.

"It was an extremely heavy door, a very heavy door," Trump told reporters. "He made it to the door. He could not to shut it."

But even if they had managed to get into the safe room, forces could have breached it in approximately "47 seconds".

From Caracas to Manhattan

Now in US custody, Nicolás Maduro and his wife were moved approximately 2,100 miles, to New York City.

They were taken by air out of Caracas via chopper, and taken to the USS Iwo Jima, a warship positioned in the Caribbean. The team was completed "over the water" before 4:30 AM.

Aboard the vessel where one of the defining pictures of the whole operation emerged - Maduro shackled, wearing ear protectors and darkened eyewear that looked like opaque glasses.

From the USS Iwo Jima, his initial stop was at the American naval installation at Guantánamo Bay.

The Maduros were then flown on a government plane to Stewart Air National Guard Base in New York state, and then via helicopter to Manhattan.

Confronting The Legal System in US Territory

On Saturday, a video was released depicting Maduro inside the federal drug agency's headquarters in the city.

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

They face charges including planning drug-related terrorism and cocaine trafficking, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and plots to acquire machine guns and bombs to use against America.

They are set to encounter the full wrath of the US legal system on American soil in American courts," the Attorney General proclaimed.

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