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American officials assert the military operation aimed at apprehending the South American nation's president took months of planning, yet the moment Donald Trump issued the command to launch, the mission dubbed "Absolute Resolve" concluded after about 150 minutes.

The shocking early-morning assault this past weekend represented an unprecedented incident in contemporary international relations and culminated in the arrest of Nicolás Maduro along with his spouse, Cilia Flores.

Seized by soldiers from an elite American military force when they tried to escape into a fortified panic room, the pair are currently detained at a holding facility in New York and face narco-terrorism charges.

A Early Morning Raid on the Military Complex

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

Images from Fuerte Tiuna, a huge army installation in which top government officials live, show blasted buildings and burned, smoking vehicles.

It was at this facility where the president and first lady were captured, Venezuelan ruling party leader a party official stated.

Hours Before - Trump Gives the Order

The mission started with reports of explosions around 2 AM in Caracas (6:00 Greenwich Mean Time).

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

The objective was to disable the nation's air defense systems and open up the way for American assault helicopters to reach Fuerte Tiuna.

"We assessed that we had maintained completely the element of surprise", a senior military officer stated.

Targeted sites encompassed the base, a port and an airport. Pictures depict the complex engulfed in flames, with huge flames seen from a great distance.

Venezuelans have described how US military helicopters flew low over Caracas, en route to the military base.

A number of the aircraft were shot at, however were still able to fly, officials said.

There was significant gunfire," the President added.

The Lightning-Fast On-the-Ground Operation

Once on the ground, forces from an elite special operations unit, acted with speed.

They entered to the compound at 02:01 local time, and the Maduros surrendered without a struggle, according to accounts.

But, further information emerged. The Maduros tried to escape into a secure location, referred to as a heavily fortified bunker.

The secure room was constructed of steel, and he wasn't able to get inside because our guys were too quick.

It featured an extremely heavy door, a very heavy door," Trump informed the media. He reached the entrance. He could not to shut it."

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

From the Capital to Manhattan

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

They were taken by air from the capital by helicopter, and taken to the USS Iwo Jima, a naval vessel stationed in the Caribbean. The operation was completed in international waters before 4:30 AM.

It was on the ship that an iconic image of the whole operation was captured - Maduro shackled, with hearing protection and a type of blindfold that looked like dark sunglasses.

From the USS Iwo Jima, his initial stop was at the American naval installation in Cuba.

They were then flown on a government plane to Stewart Air National Guard Base in New York, before a final helicopter transfer into New York City.

Confronting Justice on US Territory

That same day, a video emerged showing the detainee at the Drug Enforcement Agency's (DEA) headquarters in New York.

The couple are presently detained in a detention centre within the city.

They have been charged including planning narco-terrorism and import cocaine, possession of automatic weapons and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and bombs to use against America.

They are set to encounter the full wrath of the US legal system on American soil in American courts," the Attorney General declared.

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