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The US assert the armed forces mission to capture the South American nation's leader took many weeks of careful preparation, yet the moment Donald Trump issued the command to commence, "Operation Absolute Resolve" only lasted approximately 150 minutes.

The unexpected pre-dawn attack this past weekend signified a historic event within contemporary international relations and culminated in the arrest for Venezuela's president and his wife, Cilia Flores de Maduro.

Captured by troops belonging to a top-tier US army unit when they tried to escape inside a fortified panic room, the couple are now in custody in a detention centre within New York City and are confronting narco-terrorism accusations.

The Early Morning Assault on Fuerte Tiuna

As the sun rose on Saturday, the magnitude of the military operation in the capital, Venezuela's primary city, became apparent.

Photographs of the vast military base, an enormous army installation where top government officials reside, show bombed out buildings as well as burned, smoking vehicles.

The location was this facility that the president and first lady were apprehended, a senior political figure Nahum Fernández indicated.

Just Moments Earlier - Trump Gives the Command

"Operation Absolute Resolve" began with reports of blasts around 02:00 local time (06:00 GMT).

The US disabled electricity across the capital, the President later described, calling it "dark and deadly".

The goal was to neutralize Venezuela's air defences and open up the way for American assault helicopters to get to the target.

"We assessed that we had maintained totally the element of surprise", a senior military officer remarked.

Strike locations included the compound, a port and an airfield. Pictures depict the complex on fire, with massive fires seen for miles.

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

A number of the aircraft came under fire, however managed to continue flying, officials said.

"It was a lot of gunfire," the President added.

A Lightning-Fast Ground Assault

Once on the ground, troops from the US Army's Delta Force, acted with speed.

They gained access to the compound just after 2 AM local time, and the presidential couple "gave up" without a struggle, according to reports.

However, further information were provided. The Maduros 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 too quick.

It featured a very thick door, a massive door," Trump told reporters. He reached the entrance. He was unable to shut it."

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

From Caracas to Manhattan

Currently under American detention, Nicolás Maduro and his wife were moved approximately 3,400 kilometers, to Manhattan.

They were taken by air from the capital via chopper, and taken to a US warship, a warship positioned off the coast. The team was completed "over the water" before 4:30 AM.

It was on the ship that one of the defining pictures from the entire mission emerged - Maduro shackled, wearing ear protectors and darkened eyewear resembling opaque glasses.

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

They were then flown via official aircraft to Stewart Air National Guard Base in New York state, and then via helicopter to Manhattan.

Facing The Legal System in US Territory

That same day, a video was released depicting the detainee inside the Drug Enforcement Agency's (DEA) main office in the city.

He and Cilia Flores are presently being held in a detention centre in the city.

They face charges with planning narco-terrorism and import cocaine, possession of machine guns and explosives, and plots to possess machine guns 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 declared.

Footage shows Maduro's arrival into American and journey into custody.