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American officials state the military operation aimed at apprehending the South American nation's leader took many weeks of careful preparation, however the moment the US President gave the command to launch, the mission dubbed "Absolute Resolve" only lasted roughly 150 minutes.

The unexpected early-morning attack on Saturday signified a never-before-seen incident in contemporary international relations and led directly to the detention for Venezuela's president and his spouse, Cilia Flores.

Apprehended by soldiers from a top-tier US army unit as they tried to escape inside a fortified panic room, the two are now detained in a detention centre within New York City and are confronting drug trafficking and terrorism accusations.

A Early Morning Raid on Fuerte Tiuna

As the sun rose that morning, the magnitude of the military operation in the capital, the nation's primary city, was clear.

Pictures from Fuerte Tiuna, a huge army installation in which senior leadership reside, show destroyed buildings as well as burned, smouldering vehicles.

It was at this base that Maduro and his wife were apprehended, Venezuelan ruling party leader a party official stated.

Hours Earlier - The President Gives the Command

The mission began amid reports of blasts at about 02:00 in Caracas (06:00 GMT).

American forces disabled electricity across the capital, the President has since said, describing it as "dark and deadly".

The objective was to neutralize Venezuela's air defense systems and clear the way for US military helicopters to reach Fuerte Tiuna.

Our evaluation was that we successfully kept totally the advantage of surprise," a senior military officer remarked.

Strike locations included the compound, a maritime facility and an airfield. Pictures show the complex engulfed in flames, with huge flames visible for miles.

Venezuelans have described the way American choppers flew at low altitude over Caracas, en route to Fuerte Tiuna.

Some of the helicopters came under fire, but managed to continue flying, officials said.

"It was significant weapons fire," the President added.

The Rapid On-the-Ground Operation

After landing, forces from an elite special operations unit, acted with speed.

They gained access the facility just after 2 AM local time, and the presidential couple "gave up" without a struggle, according to reports.

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

The secure room is all steel, and he failed to make it inside as our personnel were so fast.

"It was a very thick door, a very heavy door," the President informed the media. "He made it the entrance. He was unable to shut it."

However, even assuming they had managed to get into the safe room, troops could have breached it in about "under a minute."

From Caracas to Manhattan

Now in US custody, the couple were transported some 3,400 kilometers, to Manhattan.

They were flown from the capital by helicopter, and taken to the USS Iwo Jima, a naval vessel stationed in the Caribbean. The team was completed in international waters by 04:29.

Aboard the vessel that an iconic image of the whole operation was captured - the president shackled, wearing ear protectors and a type of blindfold resembling opaque glasses.

After leaving the ship, he was first flown at the American naval installation at Guantánamo Bay.

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

Confronting Justice in US Territory

On Saturday, a video was released depicting Maduro at the federal drug agency's main office in the city.

He and Cilia Flores are now being held in a detention centre within the city.

They have been charged including conspiracy to commit drug-related terrorism and import cocaine, possession of automatic weapons and explosives, and conspiracy to acquire machine guns and bombs against the US.

They are set to encounter the complete force of American justice in the United States in American courts," a senior legal official proclaimed.

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