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American officials assert their armed forces mission to capture the South American nation's president involved months of careful preparation, yet when Donald Trump issued the order to launch, the mission dubbed "Absolute Resolve" only lasted about 150 minutes.

The surprise pre-dawn strike on Saturday represented a never-before-seen event within modern politics and resulted in the detention of Nicolás Maduro along with his spouse, Cilia Flores de Maduro.

Apprehended by soldiers belonging to a top-tier US army unit as they tried to escape inside a fortified secure chamber, the two are currently in custody at a holding facility in New York and face narco-terrorism charges.

The Dawn Assault on Fuerte Tiuna

At sunrise that morning, the extent of the military operation in Caracas, Venezuela's primary city, was clear.

Images of the vast military base, a massive army installation in which key officials reside, depict destroyed buildings and burned, smouldering cars.

The location was this facility that the president and first lady were captured, Venezuelan ruling party leader Nahum Fernández stated.

Hours Earlier - The President Issues the Command

The mission began amid reports of blasts at about 02:00 local time (6:00 Greenwich Mean Time).

American forces cut power across the capital, Trump later described, calling it pitch black and dangerous.

The goal was to neutralize the nation's air defences and open up the path for US military helicopters to reach the target.

"We assessed that we successfully kept totally the advantage of surprise," the top general commented.

Targeted sites encompassed the compound, a port and an airport. Images show the complex on fire, with massive fires seen from a great distance.

Residents reported how American choppers flew at low altitude over Caracas, en route to Fuerte Tiuna.

A number of the aircraft were shot at, however managed to continue flying, officials stated.

"It was significant weapons fire," Trump added.

The Lightning-Fast On-the-Ground Operation

After landing, forces from an elite special operations unit, moved quickly.

They gained access the facility at 02:01 Caracas time, and the presidential couple "gave up" without resistance, as per accounts.

However, more details were provided. They tried to escape into a secure location, referred to as a heavily fortified bunker.

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

It featured an extremely heavy door, a very heavy door," the President informed the media. "He made it to the door. He could not to close it."

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

From Caracas to New York City

Currently under American detention, Nicolás Maduro and his wife were moved some 2,100 miles, to Manhattan.

They were flown from the capital by helicopter, and transferred to a US warship, a warship positioned in the Caribbean. The team was back in international waters by 04:29.

It was on the ship where an iconic image from the entire mission was captured - the president shackled, with hearing protection and darkened eyewear resembling dark sunglasses.

From the USS Iwo Jima, he was first flown 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 to Manhattan.

Confronting Justice in US Territory

That same day, a video emerged depicting the detainee inside the federal drug agency's main office in New York.

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

They have been charged including planning narco-terrorism and cocaine trafficking, possession of automatic weapons and destructive devices, and plots to acquire such weapons and bombs against the US.

"They will soon face the complete force of American justice on American soil in American courts," the Attorney General proclaimed.

Video shows the leader's entry into American and journey into custody.