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American officials claim the military operation aimed at apprehending the South American nation's president involved months of planning, but when the US President issued the order to launch, the mission dubbed "Absolute Resolve" only lasted about two and a half hours.

The unexpected pre-dawn strike this past weekend represented a historic event within contemporary international relations and led directly to the arrest for Nicolás Maduro and his spouse, Cilia Flores de Maduro.

Apprehended by troops belonging to an elite American military force while they attempted to escape inside a fortified panic room, the two are currently in custody at a holding facility within New York City and are confronting narco-terrorism charges.

A Early Morning Assault against Fuerte Tiuna

As the sun rose on Saturday, the extent of the armed intervention in the capital, Venezuela's primary city, was evident.

Pictures of the vast military base, a massive military complex in which top government officials live, depict destroyed buildings as well as charred, smoking cars.

The location was this base that the president and first lady were captured, a senior political figure a party official indicated.

Just Moments Earlier - Trump Gives the Command

"Operation Absolute Resolve" began amid reports of blasts at about 2 AM in Caracas (6:00 Greenwich Mean Time).

The US disabled electricity across the capital, Trump has since said, calling it "dark and deadly".

The aim was to disable the nation's air defense systems and clear the way for US military helicopters to reach the target.

Our evaluation was that we had maintained completely the advantage of surprise," the top general commented.

Strike locations encompassed the compound, a port and an airport. Pictures depict Fuerte Tiuna on fire, with massive fires seen from a great distance.

Venezuelans reported the way US military helicopters flew low over Caracas, en route to the military base.

Some of the helicopters came under fire, however were still able to fly, military leaders said.

There was a lot of gunfire," Trump noted.

A Rapid Ground Assault

Once on the ground, troops from an elite special operations unit, sprang into action.

They entered the facility at 02:01 local time, and the Maduros "gave up" without resistance, as per accounts.

However, more details emerged. They attempted to flee into a safe place, described as a military "fortress".

"The safe place is all steel, and he failed to get to the door because our guys were so fast.

"It was an extremely heavy entryway, a very heavy door," Trump told reporters. He reached to the door. He was unable to close it."

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

From the Capital to Manhattan

Currently under American detention, the couple were moved approximately 2,100 miles, to Manhattan.

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

It was on the ship that one of the defining pictures of the whole operation was captured - the president in handcuffs, with hearing protection and a type of blindfold that looked like opaque glasses.

After leaving the ship, he was first flown 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 Justice on American Soil

On Saturday, footage emerged depicting Maduro at the Drug Enforcement Agency's (DEA) main office in the city.

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

They have been charged including planning narco-terrorism and cocaine trafficking, possession of machine guns and explosives, and conspiracy to acquire machine guns and destructive devices against the US.

"They will soon face the complete force of the US legal system on American soil in American courts," a senior legal official proclaimed.

Video shows Maduro's arrival into American and transport into custody.