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American officials assert their armed forces mission to capture the South American nation's president required many weeks of careful preparation, but when the US President gave the command to launch, "Operation Absolute Resolve" concluded after roughly two and a half hours.

The surprise pre-dawn attack this past weekend signified an unprecedented event in contemporary international relations and culminated in the detention of Venezuela's president along with his spouse, Cilia Flores de Maduro.

Apprehended by soldiers from an elite US army unit while they attempted to escape into a heavily secured safe room, the two are currently in custody in a detention centre in New York and are confronting drug trafficking and terrorism indictments.

A Dawn Raid against the Military Complex

With daybreak that morning, the magnitude of the military operation in the capital, the nation's capital, was clear.

Images of Fuerte Tiuna, a huge military complex where key officials reside, show bombed out buildings as well as charred, smoking vehicles.

It was at this compound where the president and first lady were captured, Venezuelan ruling party leader a party official indicated.

Hours Earlier - The President Gives the Order

The mission started with reports of blasts around 2 AM in Caracas (6:00 Greenwich Mean Time).

The US disabled electricity across the capital, the President later described, calling it pitch black and dangerous.

The objective was to neutralize Venezuela's air defences and clear the way for US military helicopters to get to the target.

Our evaluation was that we had maintained totally the element of surprise", the top general remarked.

Strike locations encompassed the base, a maritime facility and an airport. Images depict Fuerte Tiuna on fire, with huge flames visible for miles.

Residents reported the way American choppers flew at low altitude above the city, heading for the military base.

Some of the helicopters came under fire, however managed to continue flying, military leaders said.

There was a lot of weapons fire," Trump added.

A Lightning-Fast Ground Assault

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

They entered the facility just after 2 AM Caracas time, and the presidential couple "gave up" without resistance, as per accounts.

But, more details were provided. The Maduros attempted to flee into a secure location, referred to as a heavily fortified bunker.

The secure room was constructed of steel, and he failed to get inside as our personnel were too quick.

It featured a very thick door, a very heavy door," Trump informed the media. He reached the entrance. He could not to shut it."

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

From Caracas to New York City

Now in US custody, Nicolás Maduro and his wife were moved approximately 3,400 kilometers, to New York City.

They were flown out of Caracas by helicopter, and taken to the USS Iwo Jima, a warship stationed in the Caribbean. The team was completed "over the water" before 4:30 AM.

Aboard the vessel where an iconic image from the entire mission was captured - Maduro shackled, with hearing protection and darkened eyewear resembling dark sunglasses.

From the USS Iwo Jima, his initial stop was at the American naval installation in Cuba.

The Maduros were then flown on a government plane to Stewart Air National Guard Base in New York, before a final helicopter transfer to Manhattan.

Facing The Legal System on American Soil

On Saturday, footage was released showing the detainee at the Drug Enforcement Agency's (DEA) headquarters in New York.

The couple are presently being held at a federal holding facility within the city.

They have been charged including conspiracy to commit drug-related terrorism and import cocaine, owning machine guns and explosives, and plots to possess such weapons and destructive devices against the US.

They are set to encounter the complete force of the US legal system on American soil in American courts," the Attorney General declared.

Video shows Maduro's arrival into American and journey to detention.