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American officials claim their military operation aimed at apprehending the South American nation's president took many weeks of careful preparation, but when the US President issued the command to commence, the mission dubbed "Absolute Resolve" only lasted about 150 minutes.

The unexpected early-morning attack on Saturday represented a historic event in contemporary international relations and resulted in the detention of Nicolás Maduro along with his wife, Cilia Flores de Maduro.

Seized by soldiers from an elite American military force while they attempted to escape inside a fortified secure chamber, the pair are currently being held at a holding facility in New York and face narco-terrorism indictments.

The Dawn Assault on Fuerte Tiuna

With daybreak that morning, the magnitude of the military operation in the capital, Venezuela's capital, was clear.

Photographs of Fuerte Tiuna, an enormous military complex in which top government officials live, depict bombed out buildings and burned, smoking cars.

It was at this base where Maduro and his wife were captured, Venezuelan ruling party leader a party official indicated.

Just Moments Before - Trump Issues the Order

"Operation Absolute Resolve" started amid reports of explosions at approximately 2 AM local time (06:00 GMT).

The US cut power to the city, the President has since said, calling it pitch black and dangerous.

The aim was to neutralize Venezuela's air defense systems and open up the path for American assault helicopters to get to Fuerte Tiuna.

"We assessed that we successfully kept completely the advantage of surprise," the top general remarked.

Strike locations included the base, a maritime facility and an airfield. Pictures depict the complex on fire, with huge flames visible for miles.

Venezuelans reported the way American choppers flew low above the city, en route to the military base.

A number of the aircraft came under fire, but were still able to fly, officials said.

There was a lot of gunfire," Trump noted.

The Rapid Ground Assault

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

They gained access the facility at 02:01 Caracas time, and the Maduros "gave up" without a struggle, according to reports.

But, further information emerged. They tried to escape into a safe place, described as a military "fortress".

The secure room is all steel, and he wasn't able to make it to the door because our guys were so fast.

"It was an extremely heavy entryway, a very heavy door," the President told reporters. "He made it the entrance. He could not to close it."

But even if they had succeeded to enter the safe room, troops could have blown it open in approximately "47 seconds".

From the Capital to Manhattan

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

They were taken by air from the capital via chopper, and transferred to a US warship, a naval vessel positioned in the Caribbean. The operation was back "over the water" before 4:30 AM.

Aboard the vessel where one of the defining pictures of the whole operation was captured - the president shackled, with hearing protection and a type of blindfold resembling dark sunglasses.

After leaving the ship, he was first flown at the American naval installation in Cuba.

The Maduros then traveled via official aircraft to a military airfield in New York state, before a final helicopter transfer to Manhattan.

Facing The Legal System on American Soil

On Saturday, footage emerged showing the detainee inside the Drug Enforcement Agency's (DEA) headquarters in the city.

He and Cilia Flores are presently being held at a federal holding facility within the city.

They have been charged including planning narco-terrorism and import cocaine, owning machine guns and explosives, and conspiracy to possess such weapons and destructive devices against the US.

"They will soon face the complete force of American justice on American soil in American courts," a senior legal official proclaimed.

Video shows the leader's entry in US and transport to detention.