From within that Caracas 'fort' to a Manhattan courtroom: Maduro's seizure through pictures as well as maps.
The US assert their military operation aimed at apprehending Venezuela's president required many weeks of planning, yet the moment Donald Trump gave the command to launch, "Operation Absolute Resolve" only lasted roughly two and a half hours.
The surprise early-morning strike on Saturday represented a never-before-seen incident in modern politics and culminated in the detention for Nicolás Maduro and his spouse, Cilia Flores de Maduro.
Seized by soldiers from an elite US army unit as they tried to escape inside a fortified secure chamber, the pair are now detained at a holding facility in New York and are confronting narco-terrorism charges.
The Early Morning Assault on the Military Complex
With daybreak that morning, the extent of the armed intervention in Caracas, the nation's primary city, was evident.
Pictures of Fuerte Tiuna, a massive army installation in which senior leadership live, reveal bombed out structures as well as charred, smoking cars.
The location was this base where Maduro and his wife were captured, Venezuelan ruling party leader Nahum Fernández reported.
Hours Earlier - Trump Issues the Command
The mission started amid reports of explosions at approximately 2 AM in Caracas (6:00 Greenwich Mean Time).
American forces cut power across the capital, the President later described, describing it as pitch black and dangerous.
The objective was to disable the nation's air defences and open up the way for American assault helicopters to reach the target.
"We assessed that we successfully kept totally the advantage of surprise," a senior military officer stated.
Strike locations included the compound, a port and an airfield. Images show Fuerte Tiuna on fire, with huge flames seen for miles.
Residents reported the way American choppers flew low over Caracas, heading for Fuerte Tiuna.
A number of the aircraft came under fire, however managed to continue flying, officials said.
"It was significant gunfire," Trump added.
A Lightning-Fast On-the-Ground Operation
Once on the ground, forces from the US Army's Delta Force, moved quickly.
They gained access to the compound at 02:01 local time, and the presidential couple surrendered without a struggle, according to reports.
However, more details emerged. They attempted to flee into a secure location, described as a heavily fortified bunker.
"The safe place is all steel, and he wasn't able to get inside because our guys were so fast.
It featured an extremely heavy door, a very heavy door," the President told reporters. He reached the entrance. He could not to shut it."
But even if they had managed to get into the safe room, troops could have blown it open in approximately "under a minute."
From the Capital to New York City
Now in US custody, the couple were moved approximately 3,400 kilometers, to Manhattan.
They were taken by air from the capital via chopper, and transferred to the USS Iwo Jima, a naval vessel stationed in the Caribbean. The operation was completed in international waters by 04:29.
It was on the ship that one of the defining pictures of the whole operation emerged - the president in handcuffs, wearing ear protectors and a type of blindfold that looked like opaque glasses.
After leaving the ship, his initial stop was at the American naval installation at Guantánamo Bay.
They were then flown on a government plane to a military airfield in New York state, and then via helicopter to Manhattan.
Confronting Justice on American Soil
That same day, footage emerged showing the detainee at the Drug Enforcement Agency's (DEA) main office in the city.
The couple are now being held at a federal holding facility within the city.
They face charges with conspiracy to commit narco-terrorism and cocaine trafficking, owning machine guns and destructive devices, and plots to possess such weapons and bombs to use against America.
They are set to encounter the complete force of the US legal system in the United States in American courts," a senior legal official proclaimed.
Footage documents Maduro's arrival in US and journey to detention.
