From that Venezuelan capital 'fort' all the way to the New York courtroom: Maduro's capture through images as well as geographic charts.

The US assert the military operation aimed at apprehending the South American nation's leader required many weeks of planning, but when Donald Trump gave the order to commence, "Operation Absolute Resolve" concluded after approximately 150 minutes.

The surprise early-morning attack on Saturday marked a never-before-seen event within contemporary international relations and led directly to the detention for Venezuela's president and his wife, Cilia Flores.

Captured by soldiers belonging to a top-tier US army unit as they tried to flee inside a fortified panic room, the two are now in custody at a holding facility in New York and face narco-terrorism accusations.

A Dawn Assault on Fuerte Tiuna

At sunrise that morning, the extent of the armed intervention in the capital, the nation's capital, was evident.

Photographs of Fuerte Tiuna, a huge military complex in which senior leadership reside, depict blasted structures and charred, smoking cars.

The location was this compound that Maduro and his wife were captured, a senior political figure a party official stated.

Just Moments Earlier - Trump Gives the Command

The mission commenced with reports of blasts at approximately 02:00 in Caracas (6:00 Greenwich Mean Time).

The US cut power across the capital, Trump has since said, describing it as "dark and deadly".

The aim was to neutralize Venezuela's air defense systems and open up the way for US military helicopters to get to the target.

"We assessed that we successfully kept completely the element of surprise", a senior military officer remarked.

Targeted sites encompassed the compound, a port and an airport. Pictures depict the complex on fire, with massive fires visible for miles.

Residents reported the way US military helicopters flew low above the city, en route to the military base.

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

There was significant weapons fire," the President noted.

The Rapid Ground Assault

After landing, forces from the US Army's Delta Force, acted with speed.

They gained access the facility at 02:01 Caracas time, and the Maduros "gave up" without resistance, as per reports.

But, more details were provided. They tried to escape into a secure location, referred to as a military "fortress".

"The safe place is all steel, and he wasn't able to get inside as our personnel were so fast.

"It was an extremely heavy door, a massive door," the President informed the media. He reached to the door. He was unable to shut it."

But even if they had managed to get into the safe room, forces could have blown it open in about "47 seconds".

From Caracas to Manhattan

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

They were flown out of Caracas by helicopter, and transferred to a US warship, a naval vessel stationed in the Caribbean. The team was back "over the water" by 04:29.

Aboard the vessel that an iconic image of the whole operation was captured - the president in handcuffs, wearing ear protectors and a type of blindfold that looked like dark sunglasses.

After leaving the ship, his initial stop was at the American naval installation in Cuba.

The Maduros then traveled via official aircraft to Stewart Air National Guard Base in New York, and then via helicopter into New York City.

Facing The Legal System on American Soil

That same day, a video was released showing the detainee at the federal drug agency's headquarters in New York.

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

They face charges with conspiracy to commit drug-related terrorism and import cocaine, possession of automatic weapons and destructive devices, and plots to possess machine guns and destructive devices against the US.

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

Video shows Maduro's arrival in US and transport to detention.