🔗 Share this article From within the Venezuelan capital stronghold to the New York court: The Venezuelan leader's apprehension through photographs as well as maps. The US state the military operation to capture the South American nation's president required many weeks of careful preparation, but the moment Donald Trump issued the order to commence, "Operation Absolute Resolve" was completed in roughly 150 minutes. The unexpected early-morning strike on Saturday represented a never-before-seen incident in modern politics and led directly to the detention of Venezuela's president and his wife, Cilia Flores de Maduro. Apprehended by troops from an elite American military force while they tried to escape inside a heavily secured safe room, the pair are now detained at a holding facility within New York City and face drug trafficking and terrorism accusations. The Dawn Raid against the Military Complex With daybreak on Saturday, the scale of the armed intervention in Caracas, the nation's primary city, was clear. Pictures of the vast military base, a massive military complex where senior leadership reside, depict blasted structures as well as charred, smouldering cars. The location was this base where Maduro and his wife were apprehended, a senior political figure a party official stated. The major military base, the country's biggest military complex, was hit by US strikes early on that Saturday. Just Moments Before - The President Gives the Order "Operation Absolute Resolve" commenced amid reports of explosions around 2 AM in Caracas (6:00 Greenwich Mean Time). The US disabled electricity across the capital, the President has since said, describing it as pitch black and dangerous. The goal was to disable the nation's air defences and open up the path for American assault helicopters to get to Fuerte Tiuna. "We assessed that we successfully kept completely the advantage of surprise," a senior military officer commented. Targeted sites included the compound, a maritime facility and an airport. Images depict the complex engulfed in flames, with massive fires seen for miles. Venezuela declared a state of emergency in the wake of the American attacks. Residents reported the way American choppers flew low above the city, heading for the military base. Some of the helicopters were shot at, but managed to continue flying, officials stated. There was significant weapons fire," the President noted. American aircraft flying over the capital, with columns of smoke from prior bombings clearly visible. The Rapid Ground Assault Once on the ground, troops from the US Army's Delta Force, acted with speed. They entered to the compound just after 2 AM Caracas time, and the presidential couple "gave up" without a struggle, according to accounts. But, further information emerged. The Maduros tried to escape into a safe place, described as a military "fortress". The secure room is all steel, and he failed to get to the door as our personnel were so fast. It featured an extremely heavy entryway, a massive door," the President told reporters. He reached to the door. He could not to close it." However, even assuming they had managed to enter the safe room, forces could have blown it open in approximately "47 seconds". From Caracas to New York City 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 transferred to the USS Iwo Jima, a naval vessel positioned in the Caribbean. The team was completed "over the water" before 4:30 AM. Aboard the vessel that an iconic image from the entire mission emerged - Maduro in handcuffs, with hearing protection and a type of blindfold resembling dark sunglasses. An image of Maduro said to be taken on board the warship. After leaving the ship, he was first flown to the US Navy base at Guantánamo Bay. The Maduros then traveled via official aircraft to a military airfield in New York, before a final helicopter transfer to Manhattan. An aircraft transporting the Maduros touches down at a helipad in New York City. Maduro was spotted showing a peace sign upon arrival at a heliport in New York. Tight security was present around the landing zone during the arrival in New York City. Facing The Legal System in American Soil That same day, footage was released showing the detainee at the federal drug agency's main office in the city. The couple are now detained at a federal holding facility in the city. They have been charged with conspiracy to commit drug-related terrorism and import cocaine, owning machine guns and explosives, and plots to possess such weapons and destructive devices to use against America. "They will soon face the full wrath of American justice on American soil in American courts," a senior legal official declared. Footage documents the leader's entry in US and journey into custody.