🔗 Share this article From that Caracas 'fort' to the New York court: The Venezuelan leader's seizure in images as well as maps. American officials state the military operation to capture Venezuela's president required months of careful preparation, yet when the US President issued the command to commence, the mission dubbed "Absolute Resolve" concluded after approximately two and a half hours. The surprise pre-dawn attack on Saturday represented a historic incident within contemporary international relations and led directly to the detention of Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores de Maduro. Seized by soldiers from an elite American military force when they attempted to flee inside a heavily secured panic room, the two are now being held in a detention centre in New York and are confronting drug trafficking and terrorism indictments. The Early Morning Assault against Fuerte Tiuna At sunrise that morning, the scale of the military operation in the capital, the nation's primary city, was evident. Images from the vast military base, a huge military complex where top government officials live, show bombed out structures and burned, smouldering vehicles. The location was this facility where the president and first lady were apprehended, a senior political figure a party official reported. The major military base, the country's largest armed forces facility, was struck in American airstrikes in the early hours of that Saturday. Hours Earlier - The President Issues the Command The mission commenced amid reports of explosions at about 02:00 in Caracas (06:00 GMT). American forces cut power to the city, Trump later described, describing it as "dark and deadly". The objective was to neutralize Venezuela's air defences and clear the way for US military helicopters to get to Fuerte Tiuna. Our evaluation was that we had maintained totally the element of surprise", a senior military officer remarked. Strike locations encompassed the base, a port and an airport. Images show Fuerte Tiuna engulfed in flames, with massive fires visible from a great distance. The country declared a state of emergency in the wake of the American attacks. Residents reported how US military helicopters flew at low altitude over Caracas, en route to the military base. A number of the aircraft were shot at, but managed to continue flying, officials said. There was significant gunfire," Trump noted. US military helicopters soaring above Caracas, with plumes of smoke from earlier air strikes clearly visible. A Rapid Ground Assault After landing, troops from an elite special operations unit, acted with speed. They gained access to the compound at 02:01 local time, and the Maduros surrendered without a struggle, according to accounts. But, more details were provided. The Maduros tried to escape into a secure location, described as a heavily fortified bunker. The secure room was constructed of steel, and he wasn't able to make it to the door as our personnel were too quick. It featured an extremely heavy entryway, a very heavy door," Trump told reporters. He reached to the door. He was unable to close it." However, even assuming they had managed to enter the bunker, forces could have breached it in approximately "47 seconds". From the Capital to New York City Currently under American detention, the couple were transported some 3,400 kilometers, to Manhattan. They were flown from the capital via chopper, and transferred to a US warship, a naval vessel stationed in the Caribbean. The operation was back "over the water" by 04:29. It was on the ship where an iconic image from the entire mission emerged - Maduro shackled, with hearing protection and a type of blindfold resembling opaque glasses. An image showing the detained leader reportedly captured aboard the USS Iwo Jima. After leaving the ship, he was first flown at the American naval installation in Cuba. They then traveled via official aircraft to Stewart Air National Guard Base in New York, and then via helicopter into New York City. An aircraft transporting the Maduros touches down on a landing pad in Manhattan. The Venezuelan leader could be seen flashing a peace sign upon arrival at the landing site in New York. Heavy security surrounded the helipad as the Maduros arrived in Manhattan. Confronting Justice on American Soil On Saturday, a video emerged depicting the detainee at the Drug Enforcement Agency's (DEA) headquarters in the city. He and Cilia Flores 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 destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices to use against America. "They will soon face the full wrath of the US legal system on American soil within US courtrooms," a senior legal official proclaimed. Video documents the leader's entry in US and transport into custody.