From that Venezuelan capital stronghold all the way to the Manhattan court: Maduro's seizure through photographs and geographic charts.
The US state the armed forces mission to capture the South American nation's leader involved months of planning, but when Donald Trump gave the order to commence, "Operation Absolute Resolve" was completed in roughly 150 minutes.
The surprise pre-dawn strike this past weekend represented an unprecedented incident in modern politics and led directly to the detention of Nicolás Maduro along with his spouse, Cilia Flores de Maduro.
Captured by troops belonging to a top-tier American military force while they tried to escape inside a heavily secured panic room, the pair are currently in custody at a holding facility in New York and are confronting narco-terrorism accusations.
A Early Morning Raid on the Military Complex
As the sun rose that morning, the extent of the armed intervention in the capital, Venezuela's primary city, was evident.
Images of the vast military base, a massive military complex where key officials reside, show bombed out structures as well as burned, smoking vehicles.
It was at this facility where Maduro and his wife were apprehended, a senior political figure Nahum Fernández stated.
Hours Before - The President Gives the Command
"Operation Absolute Resolve" began amid reports of explosions at approximately 02:00 local time (06:00 GMT).
The US disabled electricity to the city, Trump has since said, calling it "dark and deadly".
The goal was to neutralize the nation's air defense systems and clear the way for American assault helicopters to reach Fuerte Tiuna.
"We assessed that we successfully kept totally the advantage of surprise," a senior military officer commented.
Strike locations included the base, a port and an airport. Images depict the complex on fire, with huge flames visible for miles.
Venezuelans reported the way US military helicopters flew at low altitude above the city, en route to the military base.
A number of the aircraft came under fire, but were still able to fly, officials said.
There was significant gunfire," Trump noted.
A Rapid Ground Assault
After landing, troops from an elite special operations unit, moved quickly.
They entered to the compound at 02:01 local time, and the presidential couple surrendered without a struggle, as per accounts.
However, further information were provided. They tried to escape into a secure location, described as a military "fortress".
The secure room was constructed of steel, and he failed to make it inside because our guys were too quick.
"It was an extremely heavy door, a massive door," the President informed the media. He reached the entrance. He was unable to close it."
However, even assuming they had managed to get into the bunker, forces could have blown it open in approximately "47 seconds".
From Caracas to Manhattan
Currently under American detention, Nicolás Maduro and his wife were moved some 2,100 miles, to Manhattan.
They were flown out of Caracas via chopper, and transferred to the USS Iwo Jima, a warship positioned in the Caribbean. 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 emerged - Maduro in handcuffs, with hearing protection and a type of blindfold that looked like opaque glasses.
After leaving the ship, his initial stop was 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, before a final helicopter transfer into New York City.
Facing The Legal System on US Territory
That same day, footage emerged depicting Maduro inside the Drug Enforcement Agency's (DEA) headquarters in New York.
He and Cilia Flores are presently detained at a federal holding facility in the city.
They have been charged with planning drug-related terrorism and import cocaine, possession of automatic weapons and explosives, and conspiracy to acquire such weapons and destructive devices to use against America.
"They will soon face the complete force of American justice on American soil in American courts," a senior legal official proclaimed.
Footage shows the leader's entry in US and transport to detention.
