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The US assert their military operation aimed at apprehending the South American nation's president took many weeks of careful preparation, however the moment the US President gave the order to launch, the mission dubbed "Absolute Resolve" only lasted about 150 minutes.

The unexpected pre-dawn strike on Saturday represented a historic event within contemporary international relations and led directly to the arrest for Venezuela's president along with his wife, Cilia Flores.

Seized by troops belonging to an elite American military force while they tried to escape inside a heavily secured secure chamber, the pair are now in custody at a holding facility within New York City and are confronting narco-terrorism charges.

A Early Morning Raid on the Military Complex

As the sun rose that morning, the magnitude of the military operation in the capital, Venezuela's capital, was clear.

Pictures from Fuerte Tiuna, a huge army installation where key officials live, reveal destroyed buildings as well as charred, smoking vehicles.

It was at this base that the president and first lady were apprehended, a senior political figure Nahum Fernández indicated.

Just Moments Earlier - Trump Issues the Order

"Operation Absolute Resolve" started amid reports of explosions at approximately 02:00 in Caracas (06:00 GMT).

The US cut power to the city, the President later described, calling it "dark and deadly".

The aim was to neutralize Venezuela's air defences and clear the path for American assault helicopters to get to Fuerte Tiuna.

"We assessed that we successfully kept totally the element of surprise", a senior military officer stated.

Targeted sites included the base, a port and an airport. Images depict the complex engulfed in flames, with massive fires seen for miles.

Venezuelans reported the way American choppers flew at low altitude over Caracas, heading for Fuerte Tiuna.

Some of the helicopters were shot at, but were still able to fly, military leaders said.

"It was a lot of weapons fire," Trump noted.

The Lightning-Fast On-the-Ground Operation

After landing, forces from an elite special operations unit, acted with speed.

They entered the facility just after 2 AM Caracas time, and the Maduros surrendered without a struggle, as per accounts.

But, further information emerged. The Maduros attempted to flee into a safe place, referred to as a military "fortress".

The secure room is all steel, and he wasn't able to get inside as our personnel were so fast.

"It was a very thick door, a massive door," the President informed the media. "He made it the entrance. He was unable to close it."

However, even assuming they had succeeded to enter the bunker, troops could have blown it open in about "47 seconds".

From the Capital to New York City

Currently under American detention, Nicolás Maduro and his wife were moved some 3,400 kilometers, to Manhattan.

They were flown out of Caracas by helicopter, and transferred to a US warship, a naval vessel positioned in the Caribbean. The team was completed in international waters before 4:30 AM.

It was on the ship where an iconic image of the whole operation emerged - the president shackled, with hearing protection and darkened eyewear resembling opaque glasses.

After leaving the ship, he was first flown 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, before a final helicopter transfer into New York City.

Confronting The Legal System in US Territory

That same day, footage was released showing the detainee inside the Drug Enforcement Agency's (DEA) headquarters in New York.

The couple are now detained in a detention centre within the city.

They face charges with conspiracy to commit narco-terrorism and import cocaine, possession of machine guns and explosives, and conspiracy to possess such weapons and destructive devices against the US.

They are set to encounter the complete force of American justice in the United States within US courtrooms," a senior legal official declared.

Footage shows the leader's entry in US and transport to detention.