🔗 Share this article From within the Caracas stronghold all the way to a Manhattan courtroom: Maduro's seizure through photographs and maps. The US state their armed forces mission to capture the South American nation's president took months of planning, however when the US President gave the command to commence, "Operation Absolute Resolve" concluded after approximately two and a half hours. The shocking early-morning strike on Saturday marked an unprecedented incident in modern politics and resulted in the detention for Nicolás Maduro along with his wife, Cilia Flores. Captured by troops from an elite American military force as they tried to escape inside a fortified secure chamber, the pair are currently being held in a detention centre in New York and face narco-terrorism indictments. The Early Morning Assault against the Military Complex As the sun rose on Saturday, the extent of the military operation in Caracas, the nation's capital, became apparent. Photographs from the vast military base, a huge military complex where key officials reside, reveal destroyed buildings as well as charred, smouldering cars. The location was this facility where Maduro and his wife were captured, Venezuelan ruling party leader a party official reported. Fuerte Tiuna, the country's biggest military complex, was struck in American airstrikes early on that Saturday. Hours Earlier - The President Gives the Command "Operation Absolute Resolve" started amid reports of blasts at about 2 AM in Caracas (06:00 GMT). American forces cut power across the capital, Trump has since said, calling it "dark and deadly". The goal was to disable Venezuela's air defences and open up the way for American assault helicopters to get to Fuerte Tiuna. Our evaluation was that we successfully kept completely the element of surprise", a senior military officer stated. Targeted sites included the compound, a maritime facility and an airfield. Pictures depict Fuerte Tiuna engulfed in flames, with huge flames seen from a great distance. Venezuela announced a national emergency following the US strikes. Venezuelans have described how American choppers flew at low altitude above the city, en route to Fuerte Tiuna. A number of the aircraft were shot at, but were still able to fly, military leaders said. "It was significant weapons fire," the President added. US military helicopters flying over the capital, with columns of smoke from earlier air strikes clearly visible. A Rapid Ground Assault Once on the ground, forces from the US Army's Delta Force, moved quickly. They gained access to the compound at 02:01 local time, and the presidential couple surrendered without resistance, according to reports. But, further information emerged. The Maduros tried to escape into a safe place, described as a military "fortress". "The safe place was constructed of steel, and he failed to make it to the door as our personnel were too quick. "It was an extremely heavy door, a massive door," the President told reporters. He reached to the door. He could not to close it." However, even assuming they had succeeded to get into the bunker, forces could have blown it open in about "under a minute." From Caracas to Manhattan Currently under American detention, Nicolás Maduro and his wife were moved some 3,400 kilometers, to New York City. They were taken by air from the capital via chopper, and transferred to the USS Iwo Jima, a warship 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 was captured - Maduro shackled, wearing ear protectors and a type of blindfold that looked like opaque glasses. An image showing the detained leader reportedly captured aboard the warship. From the USS Iwo Jima, his initial stop was to the US Navy base in Cuba. The Maduros were then flown on a government plane to Stewart Air National Guard Base in New York, and then via helicopter into New York City. A helicopter transporting the Maduros touches down at a helipad in New York City. The Venezuelan leader could be seen flashing a V-sign upon arrival at a heliport in the city. Heavy security was present around the helipad as the Maduros arrived in Manhattan. Facing Justice in American Soil On Saturday, footage was released showing Maduro at the federal drug agency's main office in New York. He and Cilia Flores are presently being held in a detention centre within the city. They face charges including conspiracy to commit drug-related terrorism and import cocaine, owning machine guns and explosives, and plots to possess machine guns and bombs to use against America. "They will soon face the full wrath of American justice in the United States within US courtrooms," a senior legal official proclaimed. Footage documents Maduro's arrival into American and transport to detention.