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The US assert the military operation aimed at apprehending the South American nation's leader required many weeks of careful preparation, yet the moment Donald Trump issued the command to commence, the mission dubbed "Absolute Resolve" concluded after about two and a half hours.

The surprise pre-dawn strike this past weekend marked a never-before-seen incident in modern politics and resulted in the detention for Nicolás Maduro and his spouse, Cilia Flores de Maduro.

Seized by troops belonging to a top-tier American military force when they tried to escape into a fortified panic room, the couple are now in custody in a detention centre in New York and are confronting drug trafficking and terrorism indictments.

The Dawn Raid against Fuerte Tiuna

At sunrise that morning, the magnitude of the armed intervention in the capital, Venezuela's primary city, became apparent.

Photographs of Fuerte Tiuna, a huge military complex in which top government officials live, show bombed out buildings and charred, smouldering vehicles.

The location was this compound that Maduro and his wife were captured, Venezuelan ruling party leader Nahum Fernández stated.

Hours Earlier - The President Gives the Command

The mission started with reports of blasts at approximately 2 AM local time (6:00 Greenwich Mean Time).

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

The objective was to disable the nation's air defense systems and open up the path for US military helicopters to reach Fuerte Tiuna.

Our evaluation was that we had maintained completely the advantage of surprise," a senior military officer remarked.

Targeted sites encompassed the base, a port and an airfield. Pictures depict the complex on fire, with massive fires seen from a great distance.

Residents have described the way American choppers flew low over Caracas, heading for the military base.

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

There was significant weapons fire," Trump noted.

A Rapid On-the-Ground Operation

After landing, forces from an elite special operations unit, sprang into action.

They entered the facility just after 2 AM Caracas time, and the Maduros surrendered without resistance, as per accounts.

However, further information were provided. They tried to escape into a secure location, described as a military "fortress".

The secure room was constructed of steel, and he failed to get to the door because our guys were so fast.

"It was a very thick entryway, a massive door," the President informed the media. He reached to the door. He was unable to close it."

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

From Caracas to New York City

Currently under American detention, the couple were moved approximately 3,400 kilometers, to Manhattan.

They were taken by air out of Caracas by helicopter, and transferred to a US warship, a naval vessel positioned off the coast. The team was back "over the water" by 04:29.

It was on the ship where an iconic image from the entire mission emerged - the president in handcuffs, with hearing protection and a type of blindfold that looked like dark sunglasses.

After leaving the ship, his initial stop was at the American naval installation at Guantánamo Bay.

The Maduros 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.

Facing The Legal System on US Territory

That same day, footage was released showing Maduro inside the federal drug agency's main office in the city.

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

They have been charged including planning drug-related terrorism and import cocaine, possession of automatic weapons and destructive devices, and conspiracy to acquire such weapons 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," a senior legal official proclaimed.

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