🔗 Share this article From within the Venezuelan capital 'fort' to a Manhattan court: Maduro's capture through images and maps. American officials state the military operation to capture the South American nation's president involved many weeks of planning, but when the US President issued the order to commence, the mission dubbed "Absolute Resolve" concluded after roughly two and a half hours. The surprise pre-dawn assault this past weekend represented a historic event within modern politics and culminated in the detention of Venezuela's president along with his spouse, Cilia Flores de Maduro. Seized by soldiers from an elite American military force while they attempted to flee into a heavily secured secure chamber, the pair are currently detained at a holding facility in New York and are confronting narco-terrorism accusations. The Early Morning Raid on Fuerte Tiuna At sunrise that morning, the magnitude of the military operation in Caracas, the nation's capital, was evident. Images of Fuerte Tiuna, an enormous military complex in which top government officials reside, reveal bombed out buildings as well as charred, smoking vehicles. The location was this facility where the president and first lady were apprehended, a senior political figure Nahum Fernández stated. The major military base, Venezuela's largest armed forces facility, was struck in American airstrikes in the early hours of that Saturday. Just Moments Earlier - The President Gives the Order The mission commenced amid reports of explosions at approximately 2 AM local time (06:00 GMT). American forces cut power to the city, Trump has since said, calling it pitch black and dangerous. The aim was to neutralize the nation's air defense systems and clear the path for US military helicopters to reach the target. Our evaluation was that we successfully kept totally the advantage of surprise," a senior military officer remarked. Strike locations encompassed the base, a maritime facility and an airfield. Images depict Fuerte Tiuna on fire, with massive fires seen for miles. The country announced a state of emergency in the wake of the American attacks. Residents have described how American choppers flew at low altitude above the city, heading for Fuerte Tiuna. A number of the aircraft were shot at, but were still able to fly, officials stated. "It was a lot of weapons fire," Trump added. US military helicopters soaring above the capital, with columns of smoke from earlier air strikes clearly visible. A Lightning-Fast Ground Assault Once on the ground, forces from the US Army's Delta Force, sprang into action. They gained access to the compound at 02:01 Caracas time, and the presidential couple surrendered without resistance, as per reports. However, more details were provided. The Maduros attempted to flee into a secure location, referred to as a military "fortress". The secure room is all steel, and he failed to get to the door as our personnel were so fast. It featured a very thick door, a very heavy door," the President told reporters. He reached the entrance. He could not to close it." However, even assuming they had succeeded to enter the bunker, troops could have blown it open in approximately "47 seconds". From the Capital to New York City Currently under American detention, Nicolás Maduro and his wife were moved approximately 2,100 miles, to Manhattan. They were flown out of Caracas via chopper, and taken to the USS Iwo Jima, a naval vessel stationed in the Caribbean. The operation was back in international waters before 4:30 AM. Aboard the vessel where an iconic image of the whole operation emerged - the president in handcuffs, with hearing protection and darkened eyewear that looked like opaque glasses. A photograph of Maduro said to be captured aboard the warship. From the USS Iwo Jima, he was first flown to the US Navy base at Guantánamo Bay. The Maduros then traveled on a government plane to a military airfield in New York, before a final helicopter transfer to Manhattan. A helicopter carrying the Maduros touches down at a helipad in Manhattan. The Venezuelan leader was spotted flashing a peace sign when he arrived at a heliport in the city. Tight security surrounded the helipad during the arrival in New York City. Confronting Justice in US Territory That same day, a video was released depicting the detainee inside the Drug Enforcement Agency's (DEA) headquarters in the city. The couple are presently being held at a federal holding facility within the city. They have been charged including planning drug-related terrorism and import cocaine, possession of automatic weapons and explosives, and conspiracy to acquire such weapons and bombs to use against America. "They will soon face the complete force of the US legal system in the United States in American courts," the Attorney General proclaimed. Footage documents Maduro's arrival into American and journey into custody.