From within that Venezuelan capital stronghold to a Manhattan court: Maduro's capture through pictures as well as geographic charts.

The US state their armed forces mission to capture Venezuela's president involved months of careful preparation, yet the moment the US President gave the order to commence, "Operation Absolute Resolve" only lasted approximately 150 minutes.

The surprise pre-dawn strike this past weekend signified an unprecedented incident within contemporary international relations and resulted in the detention for Nicolás Maduro along with his spouse, Cilia Flores.

Captured by soldiers belonging to an elite US army unit while they attempted to flee inside a fortified safe room, the couple are currently detained in a detention centre in New York and are confronting drug trafficking and terrorism charges.

A Early Morning Assault on Fuerte Tiuna

With daybreak on Saturday, the magnitude of the military operation in the capital, Venezuela's primary city, was clear.

Photographs of Fuerte Tiuna, an enormous military complex where top government officials reside, reveal bombed out buildings as well as charred, smoking vehicles.

The location was this base that the president and first lady were apprehended, Venezuelan ruling party leader Nahum Fernández indicated.

Just Moments Before - Trump Issues the Order

"Operation Absolute Resolve" started with reports of blasts around 02:00 local time (06:00 GMT).

American forces cut power to the city, Trump later described, calling it 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.

Our evaluation was that we successfully kept completely the advantage of surprise," the top general stated.

Targeted sites encompassed the base, a port and an airfield. Images show Fuerte Tiuna engulfed in flames, with huge flames seen from a great distance.

Residents reported the way US military helicopters flew low above the city, heading for the military base.

A number of the aircraft were shot at, but were still able to fly, military leaders said.

There was significant gunfire," the President noted.

The Rapid On-the-Ground Operation

After landing, forces from the US Army's Delta Force, sprang into action.

They entered to the compound just after 2 AM local time, and the presidential couple surrendered without resistance, as per reports.

But, more details were provided. They tried to escape into a secure location, described as a heavily fortified bunker.

The secure room is all steel, and he wasn't able to make it inside because our guys were too quick.

"It was a very thick entryway, a very heavy door," Trump told reporters. "He made it the entrance. He could not to shut it."

But even if they had succeeded to enter the safe room, forces could have blown it open in approximately "47 seconds".

From the Capital to New York City

Now in US custody, Nicolás Maduro and his wife were transported approximately 2,100 miles, to New York City.

They were flown from the capital via chopper, and taken to the USS Iwo Jima, a naval vessel stationed off the coast. The operation was back "over the water" before 4:30 AM.

It was on the ship that an iconic image of the whole operation emerged - Maduro shackled, wearing ear protectors and darkened eyewear resembling opaque glasses.

From the USS Iwo Jima, he was first flown at the American naval installation in Cuba.

The Maduros were then flown via official aircraft to a military airfield in New York state, and then via helicopter to Manhattan.

Facing The Legal System on US Territory

That same day, footage was released showing the detainee inside the federal drug agency's headquarters in the city.

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

They face charges with conspiracy to commit narco-terrorism and import cocaine, possession of machine guns and explosives, and conspiracy to acquire machine guns and bombs to use against America.

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

Footage shows Maduro's arrival in US and journey to detention.