The US assert their armed forces mission aimed at apprehending the South American nation's president took many weeks of planning, yet when the US President issued the order to launch, "Operation Absolute Resolve" was completed in about two and a half hours.
The unexpected early-morning strike this past weekend marked an unprecedented incident within contemporary international relations and led directly to the arrest of Venezuela's president and his wife, Cilia Flores.
Seized by troops from a top-tier American military force when they tried to escape inside a fortified panic room, the pair are currently being held at a holding facility within New York City and face narco-terrorism charges.
A Dawn Assault against Fuerte Tiuna
With daybreak that morning, the magnitude of the military operation in the capital, Venezuela's capital, was evident.
Images of Fuerte Tiuna, an enormous military complex in which senior leadership reside, reveal bombed out buildings and burned, smouldering cars.
It was at this compound that the president and first lady were captured, a senior political figure a party official reported.
Hours Earlier - The President Gives the Order
"Operation Absolute Resolve" commenced with reports of explosions around 02:00 local time (06:00 GMT).
American forces cut power across the capital, the President later described, calling it "dark and deadly".
The aim was to disable Venezuela's air defences and clear the path for US military helicopters to get to the target.
Our evaluation was that we successfully kept completely the advantage of surprise," the top general remarked.
Strike locations encompassed the base, a maritime facility and an airport. Images depict Fuerte Tiuna on fire, with huge flames visible for miles.
Residents have described the way American choppers flew low above the city, en route to Fuerte Tiuna.
Some of the helicopters came under fire, but managed to continue flying, officials stated.
There was a lot of weapons fire," Trump noted.
The 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 at 02:01 Caracas time, and the Maduros surrendered without resistance, as per reports.
But, 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 too quick.
It featured a very thick door, a massive door," Trump told reporters. He reached to the door. He was unable to shut it."
However, even assuming they had succeeded to get into the bunker, forces could have blown it open in about "under a minute."
From the Capital to New York City
Currently under American detention, Nicolás Maduro and his wife were transported approximately 2,100 miles, to Manhattan.
They were flown out of Caracas via chopper, and transferred to the USS Iwo Jima, a warship stationed in the Caribbean. The operation was completed in international waters by 04:29.
Aboard the vessel where an iconic image from the entire mission emerged - the president shackled, with hearing protection and darkened eyewear resembling dark sunglasses.
After leaving the ship, he was first flown at the American naval installation in Cuba.
The Maduros then traveled on a government plane to Stewart Air National Guard Base in New York state, and then via helicopter into New York City.
Confronting The Legal System on US Territory
That same day, footage emerged depicting the detainee at the federal drug agency's main office in the city.
He and Cilia Flores are presently being held in a detention centre within the city.
They face charges including planning narco-terrorism and cocaine trafficking, owning machine guns and explosives, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices to use against America.
They are set to encounter the complete force of American justice in the United States in American courts," the Attorney General proclaimed.
Video shows Maduro's arrival in US and journey into custody.
