🔗 Share this article From the Caracas 'fort' all the way to the New York court: Maduro's capture through images and maps. The US state their armed forces mission aimed at apprehending the South American nation's president took many weeks of careful preparation, yet the moment Donald Trump issued the command to commence, the mission dubbed "Absolute Resolve" only lasted roughly 150 minutes. The surprise pre-dawn strike this past weekend signified an unprecedented incident in modern politics and culminated in the detention of Nicolás Maduro and his spouse, Cilia Flores de Maduro. Captured by troops from a top-tier US army unit while they tried to escape into a fortified panic room, the pair are now detained in a detention centre within New York City and face drug trafficking and terrorism accusations. A Early Morning Assault against Fuerte Tiuna At sunrise that morning, the extent of the armed intervention in the capital, Venezuela's capital, was clear. Photographs from the vast military base, a massive army installation where top government officials live, depict destroyed buildings and charred, smouldering vehicles. It was at this compound that Maduro and his wife were captured, a senior political figure a party official reported. The major military base, Venezuela's largest armed forces facility, was struck by US strikes early on Saturday morning. Just Moments Earlier - Trump Gives the Order The mission began amid reports of blasts at approximately 02:00 in Caracas (6:00 Greenwich Mean Time). The US cut power across the capital, the President has since said, describing it as "dark and deadly". The objective was to disable Venezuela's air defense systems and clear the way for American assault helicopters to get to Fuerte Tiuna. Our evaluation was that we successfully kept totally the element of surprise", the top general remarked. Targeted sites encompassed the base, a port and an airfield. Pictures show the complex engulfed in flames, with massive fires seen from a great distance. The country announced a state of emergency in the wake of the American attacks. Venezuelans have described how American choppers flew at low altitude over Caracas, heading for the military base. Some of the helicopters came under fire, but managed to continue flying, officials stated. "It was significant gunfire," Trump noted. American aircraft soaring above Caracas, with columns of smoke from earlier air strikes plainly seen. A Lightning-Fast Ground Assault Once on the ground, troops from the US Army's Delta Force, acted with speed. They entered the facility just after 2 AM Caracas time, and the Maduros "gave up" without resistance, according to reports. However, more details were provided. The Maduros tried to escape into a safe place, referred to as a heavily fortified bunker. The secure room was constructed of steel, and he failed to get to the door as our personnel were so fast. It featured a very thick door, a massive door," Trump informed the media. He reached the entrance. He was unable to shut it." However, even assuming they had managed to get into the bunker, forces could have breached it in about "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 taken by air out of Caracas via chopper, and taken to a US warship, a naval vessel positioned off the coast. The team was back in international waters before 4:30 AM. Aboard the vessel that an iconic image from the entire mission was captured - Maduro in handcuffs, with hearing protection and a type of blindfold that looked like opaque glasses. An image showing the detained leader said to be taken on board the USS Iwo Jima. From the USS Iwo Jima, 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, before a final helicopter transfer to Manhattan. A helicopter carrying the detainees lands at a helipad in Manhattan. Maduro was spotted showing a peace sign when he arrived at a heliport in New York. Heavy security was present around the helipad as the Maduros arrived in Manhattan. Confronting The Legal System on US Territory On Saturday, footage was released depicting Maduro inside the Drug Enforcement Agency's (DEA) main office in New York. He and Cilia Flores are now being held at a federal holding facility in the city. They have been charged with conspiracy to commit narco-terrorism and cocaine trafficking, possession of machine guns and explosives, and conspiracy to acquire machine guns and bombs to use against America. "They will soon face the complete force of the US legal system in the United States in American courts," the Attorney General proclaimed. Footage documents the leader's entry into American and transport into custody.