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American officials claim the armed forces mission to capture Venezuela's leader took many weeks of careful preparation, but when the US President issued the order to launch, the mission dubbed "Absolute Resolve" only lasted approximately 150 minutes.

The surprise early-morning assault this past weekend marked a historic event within contemporary international relations and culminated in the detention for Venezuela's president along with his wife, Cilia Flores de Maduro.

Seized by soldiers belonging to an elite American military force as they tried to flee inside a fortified panic room, the pair are currently detained at a holding facility within New York City and are confronting drug trafficking and terrorism accusations.

A Early Morning Assault on Fuerte Tiuna

With daybreak that morning, the magnitude of the armed intervention in the capital, Venezuela's primary city, was clear.

Pictures of Fuerte Tiuna, an enormous military complex in which key officials live, show blasted structures as well as burned, smoking cars.

The location was this compound where the president and first lady were apprehended, Venezuelan ruling party leader a party official stated.

Hours Before - The President Gives the Command

The mission began with reports of blasts at about 02:00 local time (06:00 GMT).

American forces cut power across the capital, Trump later described, calling it "dark and deadly".

The goal was to neutralize Venezuela's air defense systems and clear the way for US military helicopters to reach Fuerte Tiuna.

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

Strike locations encompassed the compound, a maritime facility and an airfield. Images depict the complex on fire, with huge flames seen for miles.

Venezuelans reported how American choppers flew low above the city, heading for Fuerte Tiuna.

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.

A Rapid On-the-Ground Operation

Once on the ground, troops from the US Army's Delta Force, moved quickly.

They gained access the facility just after 2 AM Caracas time, and the presidential couple "gave up" without resistance, according to reports.

However, further information were provided. They attempted to flee into a secure location, described as a heavily fortified bunker.

The secure room was constructed of steel, and he failed to make it to the door because our guys were too quick.

It featured an extremely heavy door, a very heavy door," Trump told reporters. He reached the entrance. He was unable to shut it."

But even if they had managed to enter the safe room, forces could have blown it open in about "47 seconds".

From the Capital 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 warship positioned in the Caribbean. The team was back "over the water" before 4:30 AM.

It was on the ship that an iconic image of the whole operation emerged - Maduro shackled, wearing ear protectors and a type of blindfold that looked like opaque glasses.

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

The Maduros then traveled on a government plane to Stewart Air National Guard Base in New York, and then via helicopter into New York City.

Confronting The Legal System on US Territory

On Saturday, a video was released showing the detainee at the Drug Enforcement Agency's (DEA) headquarters in the city.

He and Cilia Flores are now being held in a detention centre within the city.

They face charges with planning narco-terrorism and import cocaine, owning machine guns and destructive devices, and plots to acquire such weapons and bombs against the US.

"They will soon face the complete force of the US legal system in the United States within US courtrooms," a senior legal official declared.

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