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The US state their military operation to capture the South American nation's president required months of careful preparation, however when the US President gave the order to commence, "Operation Absolute Resolve" only lasted about two and a half hours.

The shocking early-morning assault this past weekend signified an unprecedented incident within contemporary international relations and resulted in the detention of Venezuela's president and his spouse, Cilia Flores.

Captured by soldiers belonging to an elite US army unit when they attempted to escape inside a heavily secured safe room, the couple are currently being held in a detention centre within New York City and face drug trafficking and terrorism accusations.

A Dawn Assault against the Military Complex

At sunrise on Saturday, the magnitude of the armed intervention in Caracas, the nation's capital, was evident.

Pictures from the vast military base, an enormous army installation in which top government officials reside, show bombed out buildings as well as charred, smoking cars.

The location was this base that the president and first lady were apprehended, Venezuelan ruling party leader Nahum Fernández reported.

Hours Earlier - Trump Issues the Command

The mission began amid reports of explosions at about 2 AM local time (06:00 GMT).

American forces disabled electricity across the capital, Trump has since said, describing it as pitch black and dangerous.

The goal was to neutralize Venezuela's air defences and clear the path for American assault helicopters to reach the target.

"We assessed that we successfully kept totally the element of surprise", the top general stated.

Strike locations encompassed the compound, a port and an airfield. Images show the complex on fire, with massive fires seen from a great distance.

Residents reported how US military helicopters flew low over Caracas, en route to the military base.

Some of the helicopters came under fire, however managed to continue flying, officials said.

There was significant gunfire," Trump noted.

A Rapid Ground Assault

After landing, troops from an elite special operations unit, acted with speed.

They gained access the facility just after 2 AM local time, and the Maduros "gave up" without resistance, according to accounts.

However, further information emerged. They tried to escape into a secure location, referred to as a military "fortress".

The secure room is all steel, and he failed to make it to the door because our guys were so fast.

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

However, even assuming they had managed to enter the bunker, troops could have breached it in approximately "47 seconds".

From Caracas to Manhattan

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

They were flown from the capital by helicopter, and taken to the USS Iwo Jima, a warship stationed off the coast. The operation was back in international waters before 4:30 AM.

It was on the ship where an iconic image from the entire mission emerged - the president shackled, wearing ear protectors and darkened eyewear resembling opaque glasses.

After leaving the ship, he was first flown to the US Navy base at Guantánamo Bay.

They were then flown on a government plane to a military airfield in New York state, and then via helicopter into New York City.

Confronting The Legal System on American Soil

On Saturday, footage emerged showing the detainee inside the federal drug agency's headquarters in New York.

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

They have been charged with planning drug-related terrorism and import cocaine, owning 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 on American soil in American courts," a senior legal official declared.

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