🔗 Share this article From within the Venezuelan capital stronghold to a New York court: Maduro's seizure through images and geographic charts. American officials claim their armed forces mission aimed at apprehending the South American nation's president took months of careful preparation, however when the US President gave the command to commence, "Operation Absolute Resolve" concluded after roughly 150 minutes. The surprise pre-dawn strike this past weekend represented a historic event within contemporary international relations and resulted in the arrest for Nicolás Maduro along with his wife, Cilia Flores de Maduro. Apprehended by soldiers belonging to a top-tier American military force when they attempted to flee into a fortified safe room, the pair are now being held at a holding facility within New York City and face drug trafficking and terrorism charges. A Early Morning Raid against Fuerte Tiuna With daybreak on Saturday, the extent of the armed intervention in the capital, Venezuela's capital, was clear. Photographs from Fuerte Tiuna, a huge army installation where senior leadership reside, depict bombed out structures and burned, smoking vehicles. It was at this compound that Maduro and his wife were apprehended, a senior political figure Nahum Fernández indicated. The major military base, the country's largest military complex, was struck in American airstrikes in the early hours of that Saturday. Hours Before - Trump Gives the Command The mission commenced with reports of explosions at approximately 02:00 in Caracas (06:00 GMT). The US cut power to the city, Trump later described, describing it as pitch black and dangerous. The objective was to disable the nation's air defences and open up the path for American assault helicopters to reach Fuerte Tiuna. "We assessed that we successfully kept completely the advantage of surprise," the top general stated. Targeted sites encompassed the compound, a maritime facility and an airport. Images depict Fuerte Tiuna on fire, with huge flames seen from a great distance. The country announced a state of emergency following the American attacks. Residents have described how US military helicopters flew low above the city, heading for the military base. Some of the helicopters came under fire, however managed to continue flying, officials said. "It was significant gunfire," Trump noted. American aircraft soaring above the capital, with plumes of smoke from earlier air strikes plainly seen. A Lightning-Fast On-the-Ground Operation After landing, troops from the US Army's Delta Force, moved quickly. They gained access the facility just after 2 AM Caracas time, and the Maduros surrendered without a struggle, as per reports. However, further information emerged. They attempted to flee into a secure location, described as a heavily fortified bunker. 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 reached the entrance. He was unable to close it." But even if they had managed to enter the bunker, troops could have blown it open in about "47 seconds". From Caracas to Manhattan Now in US custody, Nicolás Maduro and his wife were transported approximately 3,400 kilometers, to Manhattan. They were taken by air from the capital via chopper, and taken to a US warship, a naval vessel positioned off the coast. The operation was back "over the water" by 04:29. It was on the ship that one of the defining pictures from the entire mission was captured - Maduro in handcuffs, with hearing protection and darkened eyewear that looked like opaque glasses. An image showing the detained leader reportedly captured aboard the warship. After leaving the ship, his initial stop was at the American naval installation in Cuba. They then traveled on a government plane to a military airfield in New York, and then via helicopter into New York City. A helicopter carrying the Maduros lands on a landing pad in Manhattan. The Venezuelan leader could be seen flashing a V-sign when he arrived at the landing site in New York. Heavy security was present around the landing zone during the arrival in Manhattan. Facing The Legal System in American Soil On Saturday, footage emerged depicting the detainee at the federal drug agency's headquarters in the city. The couple are presently detained at a federal holding facility within the city. They face charges including conspiracy to commit drug-related terrorism and cocaine trafficking, possession of machine guns and explosives, and conspiracy to possess such weapons and bombs to use against America. "They will soon face the complete force of the US legal system on American soil in American courts," a senior legal official declared. Video shows the leader's entry in US and journey into custody.