🔗 Share this article From that Venezuelan capital 'fort' to a Manhattan courtroom: Maduro's capture in photographs and geographic charts. American officials claim their military operation aimed at apprehending the South American nation's president involved months of planning, but when the US President gave the order to commence, the mission dubbed "Absolute Resolve" concluded after about two and a half hours. The unexpected pre-dawn attack this past weekend marked a historic incident in modern politics and led directly to the detention of Venezuela's president along with his wife, Cilia Flores. Apprehended by troops from a top-tier US army unit as they tried to flee inside a fortified safe room, the couple are currently being held in a detention centre within New York City and are confronting narco-terrorism indictments. The Early Morning Assault on the Military Complex As the sun rose on Saturday, the extent of the armed intervention in Caracas, the nation's capital, was evident. Images of the vast military base, a huge army installation in which key officials reside, show destroyed structures and charred, smouldering vehicles. The location was this compound that the president and first lady were captured, a senior political figure Nahum Fernández reported. The major military base, Venezuela's biggest military complex, was struck in American airstrikes early on Saturday morning. Just Moments Before - The President Issues the Command "Operation Absolute Resolve" began with reports of blasts at approximately 2 AM local time (6:00 Greenwich Mean Time). The US cut power across the capital, the President has since said, describing it as pitch black and dangerous. The aim was to neutralize Venezuela's air defense systems and open up the path for US military helicopters to reach the target. Our evaluation was that we had maintained totally the advantage of surprise," a senior military officer remarked. Targeted sites included the compound, a port and an airport. Pictures depict the complex engulfed in flames, with huge flames seen from a great distance. The country declared a national emergency following the US strikes. Residents have described how American choppers flew at low altitude over Caracas, en route to the military base. Some of the helicopters came under fire, however were still able to fly, officials stated. There was a lot of gunfire," Trump added. US military helicopters flying over the capital, with plumes of smoke from earlier air strikes plainly seen. A Lightning-Fast On-the-Ground Operation After landing, troops from the US Army's Delta Force, sprang into action. They gained access the facility just after 2 AM Caracas time, and the presidential couple surrendered without a struggle, as per accounts. But, more details were provided. They attempted to flee into a safe place, referred to as a military "fortress". "The safe place was constructed of steel, and he wasn't able to get to the door because our guys were so fast. It featured a very thick entryway, a very heavy door," the President informed the media. He reached to the door. He could not to shut it." However, even assuming they had managed to get into the bunker, forces could have breached it in approximately "under a minute." From Caracas to Manhattan Now in US custody, the couple were transported approximately 3,400 kilometers, to New York City. They were taken by air out of Caracas via chopper, and taken to the USS Iwo Jima, a naval vessel positioned off the coast. The operation was completed "over the water" before 4:30 AM. Aboard the vessel where an iconic image from the entire mission emerged - the president in handcuffs, wearing ear protectors and darkened eyewear resembling opaque glasses. A photograph showing the detained leader reportedly taken on board the warship. After leaving the ship, he was first flown at the American naval installation at Guantánamo Bay. They then traveled via official aircraft to a military airfield in New York, before a final helicopter transfer to Manhattan. A helicopter carrying the detainees lands on a landing pad in New York City. Maduro was spotted flashing a V-sign when he arrived at the landing site in New York. Heavy security surrounded the landing zone during the arrival in Manhattan. Facing The Legal System on American Soil On Saturday, a video emerged depicting the detainee inside the Drug Enforcement Agency's (DEA) main office in New York. He and Cilia Flores are presently being held at a federal holding facility within the city. They face charges including conspiracy to commit narco-terrorism and import cocaine, owning automatic weapons and destructive devices, and conspiracy to acquire machine guns and bombs to use against America. They are set to encounter the full wrath of the US legal system on American soil within US courtrooms," a senior legal official proclaimed. Video documents the leader's entry into American and transport into custody.