From within that Caracas 'fort' to the Manhattan courtroom: Maduro's seizure through images as well as maps.

The US assert their military operation to capture the South American nation's president involved many weeks of careful preparation, yet the moment Donald Trump issued the command to launch, "Operation Absolute Resolve" was completed in about 150 minutes.

The surprise early-morning assault this past weekend signified a historic incident in contemporary international relations and culminated in the arrest of Venezuela's president and his spouse, Cilia Flores de Maduro.

Apprehended by soldiers belonging to an elite US army unit as they tried to flee into a heavily secured panic room, the couple are currently detained in a detention centre within New York City and are confronting drug trafficking and terrorism indictments.

A Dawn Raid against Fuerte Tiuna

As the sun rose that morning, the extent of the armed intervention in Caracas, Venezuela's primary city, became apparent.

Pictures of the vast military base, an enormous army installation where top government officials live, depict blasted structures as well as burned, smoking cars.

It was at this facility that Maduro and his wife were apprehended, Venezuelan ruling party leader Nahum Fernández stated.

Hours Earlier - Trump Gives the Command

"Operation Absolute Resolve" started with reports of explosions at about 02:00 local time (06:00 GMT).

The US cut power to the city, the President has since said, describing it as "dark and deadly".

The aim was to disable the nation's air defences and open up the way for US military helicopters to get to Fuerte Tiuna.

"We assessed that we successfully kept totally the advantage of surprise," the top general commented.

Strike locations included the compound, a port and an airfield. Images depict the complex engulfed in flames, with huge flames seen for miles.

Venezuelans have described the way US military helicopters flew at low altitude over Caracas, en route to the military base.

A number of the aircraft were shot at, but were still able to fly, military leaders said.

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

A Lightning-Fast On-the-Ground Operation

Once on the ground, troops from an elite special operations unit, acted with speed.

They gained access to the compound at 02:01 Caracas time, and the Maduros "gave up" without resistance, according to reports.

However, more details were provided. They tried to escape into a secure location, referred to as a heavily fortified bunker.

"The safe place was constructed of steel, and he wasn't able to make it to the door as our personnel were so fast.

"It was a very thick door, a massive door," the President informed the media. 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 breached it in approximately "47 seconds".

From the Capital to New York City

Now in US custody, Nicolás Maduro and his wife were moved approximately 3,400 kilometers, to Manhattan.

They were taken by air out of Caracas via chopper, and taken to a US warship, a naval vessel positioned off the coast. The team was completed "over the water" by 04:29.

It was on the ship that an iconic image from the entire mission emerged - the president in handcuffs, wearing ear protectors and darkened eyewear that looked like dark sunglasses.

From the USS Iwo Jima, his initial stop was at the American naval installation at Guantánamo Bay.

The Maduros then traveled on a government plane to a military airfield in New York, before a final helicopter transfer into New York City.

Confronting Justice on US Territory

On Saturday, a video was released depicting the detainee at the Drug Enforcement Agency's (DEA) headquarters in New York.

He and Cilia Flores are presently being held at a federal holding facility within the city.

They have been charged with planning narco-terrorism and cocaine trafficking, possession of machine guns and explosives, and plots to possess such weapons and destructive devices against the US.

They are set to encounter the complete force of American justice in the United States in American courts," a senior legal official declared.

Footage shows the leader's entry into American and transport into custody.