From within that Caracas stronghold to a New York courtroom: Maduro's capture through pictures as well as geographic charts.
American officials state their military operation to capture Venezuela's president involved many weeks of planning, but when the US President gave the command to launch, the mission dubbed "Absolute Resolve" concluded after roughly two and a half hours.
The shocking early-morning strike this past weekend signified a never-before-seen event in contemporary international relations and resulted in the detention of Venezuela's president and his spouse, Cilia Flores de Maduro.
Apprehended by troops from an elite US army unit while they attempted to escape inside a fortified secure chamber, the pair are currently detained in a detention centre in New York and are confronting narco-terrorism accusations.
The Early Morning Raid against Fuerte Tiuna
As the sun rose that morning, the extent of the military operation in the capital, the nation's primary city, was clear.
Pictures of Fuerte Tiuna, a massive military complex in which top government officials reside, reveal blasted buildings and charred, smoking vehicles.
It was at this base where Maduro and his wife were apprehended, a senior political figure Nahum Fernández indicated.
Just Moments Before - Trump Issues the Order
The mission started amid reports of blasts at approximately 2 AM in Caracas (6:00 Greenwich Mean Time).
American forces disabled electricity to the city, Trump later described, describing it as "dark and deadly".
The goal was to neutralize Venezuela's air defense systems and clear the path for US military helicopters to get to Fuerte Tiuna.
Our evaluation was that we had maintained totally the advantage of surprise," a senior military officer remarked.
Strike locations included the compound, a port and an airfield. Images depict Fuerte Tiuna engulfed in flames, with massive fires visible from a great distance.
Residents have described how US military helicopters flew low over Caracas, heading for Fuerte Tiuna.
Some of the helicopters were shot at, but managed to continue flying, military leaders stated.
There was a lot of gunfire," Trump noted.
The Rapid On-the-Ground Operation
After landing, troops from an elite special operations unit, moved quickly.
They entered to the compound at 02:01 local time, and the Maduros "gave up" without a struggle, according to reports.
However, further information emerged. They tried to escape into a secure location, described as a military "fortress".
The secure room is all steel, and he failed to make it to the door as our personnel were too quick.
It featured an extremely heavy door, a massive door," Trump told reporters. "He made it to the door. He was unable to close it."
However, even assuming they had succeeded to enter the bunker, forces could have blown it open in about "under a minute."
From the Capital to Manhattan
Now in US custody, the couple were transported some 3,400 kilometers, to New York City.
They were taken by air from the capital via chopper, and taken to the USS Iwo Jima, a warship positioned off the coast. The team was completed in international waters by 04:29.
It was on the ship that one of the defining pictures of the whole operation was captured - the president shackled, wearing ear protectors and darkened eyewear that looked like dark sunglasses.
After leaving the ship, he was first flown to the US Navy base in Cuba.
The Maduros were then flown via official aircraft to a military airfield in New York state, before a final helicopter transfer into New York City.
Confronting Justice on US Territory
That same day, footage emerged showing the detainee inside the Drug Enforcement Agency's (DEA) headquarters in the city.
He and Cilia Flores are now detained at a federal holding facility within the city.
They have been charged with conspiracy to commit narco-terrorism and cocaine trafficking, owning automatic weapons and destructive devices, and plots to acquire such weapons and destructive devices to use against America.
"They will soon face the full wrath of the US legal system on American soil within US courtrooms," a senior legal official declared.
Footage shows the leader's entry into American and journey into custody.
