🔗 Share this article From that Venezuelan capital 'fort' all the way to a New York courtroom: The Venezuelan leader's seizure through pictures and geographic charts. American officials claim their armed forces mission aimed at apprehending Venezuela's leader took months of planning, but the moment the US President gave the command to commence, the mission dubbed "Absolute Resolve" was completed in roughly 150 minutes. The surprise pre-dawn strike on Saturday represented a never-before-seen event within modern politics and resulted in the arrest of Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores de Maduro. Apprehended by soldiers belonging to an elite US army unit as they tried to flee into a fortified panic room, the couple are now in custody at a holding facility within New York City and are confronting drug trafficking and terrorism accusations. The Early Morning Raid against Fuerte Tiuna As the sun rose on Saturday, the magnitude of the armed intervention in Caracas, the nation's capital, became apparent. Pictures from Fuerte Tiuna, a huge military complex in which senior leadership reside, show blasted structures and charred, smoking cars. The location was this facility that the president and first lady were captured, Venezuelan ruling party leader a party official stated. The major military base, the country's biggest military complex, was targeted in American airstrikes early on Saturday morning. Just Moments Before - The President Gives the Command The mission began with reports of blasts at approximately 02:00 local time (06:00 GMT). American forces cut power across the capital, the President later described, describing it as pitch black and dangerous. The objective was to neutralize the nation's air defences and clear the way for American assault helicopters to reach the target. "We assessed that we had maintained totally the advantage of surprise," the top general stated. Strike locations included the base, a maritime facility and an airfield. Pictures depict the complex on fire, with massive fires seen for miles. The country announced a national emergency following the American attacks. Residents reported how US military helicopters flew at low altitude above the city, heading for Fuerte Tiuna. Some of the helicopters came under fire, however managed to continue flying, officials said. "It was significant gunfire," Trump added. American aircraft soaring above the capital, with plumes of smoke from earlier air strikes plainly seen. A Rapid Ground Assault After landing, troops from an elite special operations unit, moved quickly. They entered to the compound just after 2 AM Caracas time, and the Maduros surrendered without resistance, according to accounts. But, more details were provided. They tried to escape into a secure location, described as a military "fortress". The secure room was constructed of steel, and he failed to get to the door because our guys were so fast. It featured a very thick door, a massive door," the President informed the media. He reached to the door. He could not to shut it." However, even assuming they had succeeded to get into the bunker, troops could have blown it open in approximately "under a minute." 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 taken by air out of Caracas via chopper, and taken to the USS Iwo Jima, a naval vessel positioned in the Caribbean. The team was completed "over the water" by 04:29. Aboard the vessel that an iconic image from the entire mission was captured - the president in handcuffs, wearing ear protectors and a type of blindfold that looked like dark sunglasses. An image of Maduro said to be captured aboard the USS Iwo Jima. From the USS Iwo Jima, his initial stop was to the US Navy base in Cuba. They were then flown on a government plane to a military airfield in New York, and then via helicopter into New York City. An aircraft transporting the Maduros touches down at a helipad in Manhattan. The Venezuelan leader could be seen showing a peace sign upon arrival at a heliport in the city. Heavy security surrounded the landing zone during the arrival in Manhattan. Confronting The Legal System on US Territory On Saturday, a video emerged showing the detainee at the Drug Enforcement Agency's (DEA) headquarters in the city. He and Cilia Flores are now detained in a detention centre within the city. They face charges including conspiracy to commit drug-related terrorism and import cocaine, possession of automatic weapons and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices to use against America. They are set to encounter the complete force of American justice in the United States within US courtrooms," a senior legal official proclaimed. Video documents the leader's entry into American and journey into custody.