🔗 Share this article From the Caracas 'fort' all the way to the Manhattan courtroom: Maduro's apprehension through images and geographic charts. The US claim the armed forces mission aimed at apprehending Venezuela's leader involved months of careful preparation, yet the moment Donald Trump issued the command to launch, "Operation Absolute Resolve" was completed in approximately 150 minutes. The shocking early-morning assault on Saturday marked an unprecedented event within contemporary international relations and led directly to the detention of Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores de Maduro. Captured by troops belonging to a top-tier US army unit as they tried to flee inside a fortified secure chamber, the pair are currently being held in a detention centre within New York City and are confronting narco-terrorism accusations. A Early Morning Assault on Fuerte Tiuna At sunrise that morning, the scale of the military operation in Caracas, the nation's primary city, became apparent. Images from Fuerte Tiuna, a massive army installation where key officials reside, depict bombed out buildings as well as burned, smouldering cars. The location was this facility where Maduro and his wife were captured, a senior political figure a party official indicated. The major military base, the country's largest armed forces facility, was targeted by US strikes early on that Saturday. Hours Earlier - Trump Issues the Order The mission commenced amid reports of explosions around 02:00 in Caracas (6:00 Greenwich Mean Time). The US cut power across the capital, Trump later described, describing it as "dark and deadly". The objective was to neutralize the nation's air defences and clear the way for American assault helicopters to get to Fuerte Tiuna. "We assessed that we successfully kept totally the advantage of surprise," a senior military officer stated. Strike locations encompassed the base, a port and an airport. Pictures depict the complex on fire, with huge flames seen for miles. The country declared a national emergency in the wake of the US strikes. Venezuelans have described how American choppers flew at low altitude over Caracas, heading for the military base. A number of the aircraft were shot at, but managed to continue flying, military leaders said. There was significant gunfire," Trump noted. American aircraft flying over Caracas, with plumes of smoke from earlier air strikes plainly seen. The Rapid On-the-Ground Operation After landing, forces from the US Army's Delta Force, sprang into action. They entered the facility at 02:01 local time, and the Maduros "gave up" without a struggle, as per reports. But, more details emerged. They attempted to flee into a secure location, referred to as a heavily fortified bunker. "The safe place was constructed of 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 informed the media. He reached the entrance. He could not to shut it." But even if they had succeeded to enter the safe room, forces could have blown it open in about "47 seconds". From the Capital to Manhattan Currently under American detention, Nicolás Maduro and his wife were transported some 3,400 kilometers, to Manhattan. They were taken by air out of Caracas by helicopter, and taken to a US warship, a warship positioned in the Caribbean. The operation was back "over the water" before 4:30 AM. Aboard the vessel that an iconic image from the entire mission was captured - Maduro in handcuffs, wearing ear protectors and darkened eyewear that looked like dark sunglasses. A photograph of Maduro said to be captured aboard the USS Iwo Jima. After leaving the ship, he was first flown at the American naval installation in Cuba. They then traveled on a government plane to a military airfield in New York, and then via helicopter to Manhattan. A helicopter carrying the detainees touches down on a landing pad in New York City. The Venezuelan leader was spotted flashing a V-sign upon arrival at a heliport in New York. Tight security surrounded the helipad as the Maduros arrived in Manhattan. Confronting Justice on American Soil On Saturday, a video was released depicting Maduro at the federal drug agency's main office in New York. He and Cilia Flores are presently detained at a federal holding facility within the city. They face charges including planning narco-terrorism and cocaine trafficking, possession of machine guns and explosives, and conspiracy to possess such weapons and destructive devices against the US. They are set to encounter the complete force of American justice on American soil in American courts," the Attorney General declared. Video shows Maduro's arrival into American and transport to detention.