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The US claim the armed forces mission aimed at apprehending Venezuela's leader required months of careful preparation, yet the moment the US President gave the order to commence, the mission dubbed "Absolute Resolve" only lasted approximately 150 minutes.

The unexpected early-morning strike this past weekend marked a historic incident in modern politics and led directly to the arrest for Venezuela's president along with his spouse, Cilia Flores de Maduro.

Seized by troops from an elite American military force while they attempted to escape inside a heavily secured panic room, the couple are currently being held in a detention centre within New York City and are confronting narco-terrorism accusations.

A Early Morning Assault against the Military Complex

As the sun rose that morning, the extent of the armed intervention in the capital, Venezuela's primary city, became apparent.

Pictures of Fuerte Tiuna, an enormous military complex where key officials reside, depict destroyed structures as well as burned, smoking cars.

It was at this base that the president and first lady were apprehended, Venezuelan ruling party leader Nahum Fernández stated.

Just Moments Before - The President Gives the Order

The mission commenced with reports of blasts around 02:00 local time (6:00 Greenwich Mean Time).

American forces cut power across the capital, Trump has since said, describing it as pitch black and dangerous.

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

"We assessed that we had maintained totally the advantage of surprise," the top general remarked.

Strike locations included the compound, a port and an airfield. Pictures show the complex on fire, with huge flames seen from a great distance.

Venezuelans reported the way American choppers flew low over Caracas, en route to the military base.

Some of the helicopters came under fire, however were still able to fly, officials said.

"It was significant gunfire," Trump added.

A Rapid On-the-Ground Operation

After landing, troops 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 accounts.

But, further information were provided. The Maduros attempted to flee into a safe place, described as a heavily fortified bunker.

The secure room is all steel, and he wasn't able to get to the door as our personnel were too quick.

"It was a very thick entryway, a very heavy door," Trump told reporters. "He made it the entrance. He was unable to close it."

But even if they had managed to enter the safe room, forces could have breached it in about "under a minute."

From Caracas to Manhattan

Now in US custody, Nicolás Maduro and his wife were moved some 3,400 kilometers, to Manhattan.

They were taken by air out of Caracas by helicopter, and taken to the USS Iwo Jima, a naval vessel stationed off the coast. The operation was completed in international waters by 04:29.

Aboard the vessel where an iconic image of the whole operation was captured - Maduro in handcuffs, with hearing protection and darkened eyewear that looked like opaque glasses.

From the USS Iwo Jima, his initial stop was to the US Navy base at Guantánamo Bay.

The Maduros then traveled on a government plane to a military airfield in New York state, and then via helicopter into New York City.

Facing The Legal System in American Soil

That same day, a video emerged showing the detainee inside the federal drug agency's main office in the city.

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

They face charges including planning narco-terrorism and cocaine trafficking, owning automatic weapons and destructive devices, and plots to acquire machine guns and bombs to use against America.

They are set to encounter the complete force of the US legal system on American soil within US courtrooms," a senior legal official declared.

Video documents Maduro's arrival in US and transport into custody.