🔗 Share this article From that Caracas stronghold to a New York courtroom: Maduro's apprehension through images as well as geographic charts. The US state their military operation aimed at apprehending the South American nation's leader took many weeks of planning, yet the moment the US President issued the command to commence, "Operation Absolute Resolve" was completed in about 150 minutes. The unexpected early-morning attack on Saturday signified an unprecedented incident in contemporary international relations and culminated in the detention for Venezuela's president and his wife, Cilia Flores. Seized by soldiers belonging to a top-tier American military force when they attempted to escape into a fortified secure chamber, the pair are now detained at a holding facility in New York and are confronting narco-terrorism accusations. A Dawn Raid on Fuerte Tiuna As the sun rose on Saturday, the scale of the military operation in Caracas, the nation's capital, was clear. Photographs from the vast military base, a massive military complex in which senior leadership reside, reveal destroyed buildings and burned, smoking cars. The location was this facility where the president and first lady were apprehended, a senior political figure Nahum Fernández reported. The major military base, Venezuela's largest military complex, was hit by US strikes early on that Saturday. Hours Before - Trump Gives the Order The mission started amid reports of explosions at about 2 AM in Caracas (6:00 Greenwich Mean Time). The US cut power to the city, the President has since said, describing it as pitch black and dangerous. The goal was to disable the nation's air defense systems and open up the path for American assault helicopters to get to the target. "We assessed that we had maintained totally the element of surprise", a senior military officer commented. Targeted sites included the base, a maritime facility and an airport. Images show the complex on fire, with huge flames visible for miles. The country declared a national emergency following the US strikes. Residents reported the way US military helicopters flew low above the city, en route to Fuerte Tiuna. A number of the aircraft came under fire, but managed to continue flying, military leaders stated. There was a lot of weapons fire," the President noted. US military helicopters flying over the capital, with plumes of smoke from earlier air strikes clearly visible. The Rapid Ground Assault After landing, troops from an elite special operations unit, sprang into action. They entered the facility at 02:01 Caracas time, and the presidential couple "gave up" without resistance, according to accounts. However, further information were provided. The Maduros attempted to flee into a safe place, described as a heavily fortified bunker. "The safe place was constructed of steel, and he failed to get inside as our personnel were so fast. "It was an extremely heavy entryway, a very heavy door," the President informed the media. "He made it to the door. He was unable to close it." But even if they had succeeded to get into the safe room, troops could have breached it in about "under a minute." From the Capital to Manhattan Currently under American detention, the couple were moved approximately 2,100 miles, to Manhattan. They were taken by air from the capital by helicopter, and taken to the USS Iwo Jima, a warship stationed off the coast. The team was completed "over the water" before 4:30 AM. Aboard the vessel that an iconic image from the entire mission emerged - the president shackled, with hearing protection and a type of blindfold that looked like opaque glasses. A photograph showing the detained leader reportedly captured aboard the warship. After leaving the ship, he was first flown at the American naval installation in Cuba. The Maduros were then flown on a government plane to Stewart Air National Guard Base in New York, and then via helicopter to Manhattan. An aircraft transporting the detainees touches down at a helipad in Manhattan. The Venezuelan leader was spotted showing a peace sign when he arrived at the landing site in New York. Tight security surrounded the helipad during the arrival in Manhattan. Facing The Legal System on American Soil That same day, footage was released depicting Maduro inside the Drug Enforcement Agency's (DEA) main office in the city. He and Cilia Flores are now being held at a federal holding facility within the city. They have been charged including conspiracy to commit drug-related terrorism and cocaine trafficking, owning automatic weapons and explosives, and plots to acquire machine guns and bombs against the US. They are set to encounter the complete force of American justice in the United States in American courts," the Attorney General declared. Video shows Maduro's arrival into American and journey to detention.