Fuerza Armada Nacional Bolivariana
National Bolivarian Armed Forces
The National Bolivarian Armed Forces are controlled by the Commander-in-Chief (the President) and a civilian Minister of Defense. In addition to the army, navy, and air force there is also a national guard and national militia primarily focused on internal security.
The armed forces primary purpose is to defend Venezuelan territory from attack, combat drug trafficking, provide search and rescue capabilities, aid the civilian population in case of natural disasters protection, as well as numerous internal security assignments. As of 2012, the armed forces have 113,558 personnel. The President of Venezuela is the commander-in-chief of the armed forces under constitutional provisions, thus he has overall supervision and control over it. He also appoints the Minister of Defense, the commandant of the Operational Strategic Command and the commanding generals of the service branches and has full authority over all uniformed personnel. In doing this, he is assisted by the Commander-in-Chief's General Staff. The Operational Strategic Command (CEOFAN) is the highest organ of command of the National Armed Forces. The Integral Strategic Defense Regions or ISDRs (REDI, Regiones Estrategicas de Defensa Integral) were formally activated on 13 September 2008, in compliance with the provisions of the amended Organic Law of the National Armed Forces. Equivalent to a military district, these regional commands are mandated to serve the defense, social and economic needs of their respective areas of responsibility. These are divided into the Integral Defense Operations Zones or INDOZ (In Spanish, Zona Operativa del Defensa Integral or ZODI) subdivided into state commands (State Integral Defense Operations Zones or STINDOZ) and in the Maritime Region, 4 Maritime and Insular Integral Defense Operations Zones (MAIINDOZ), created in July 2015. A brand new region, the National Capital Region Command, was created on 7 July 2016.
Venezuelan
Air Force
Venezuelan Army
Venezuelan Navy
Venezuelan
National Guard
Venezuelan
Militia
Bolivarian Military Aviation
Aviación Militar Bolivariana
The Venezuelan Air Force, officially the Venezuelan National Bolivarian Military Aviation is a professional armed body designed to defend Venezuela's sovereignty and airspace. It is a service component of the National Armed Forces of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. The organization is also known as the Bolivarian National Air Force of Venezuela. Its current official name has been in use since the end of 2008. It was previously called the Venezuelan Air Force.
Equipment
Multiple rocket launcher
The Venezuelan Army, officially the National Army of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela is one of the six professional branches of the Armed Forces of the Venezuela. It has the responsibility for land-based operations against external, or internal threats that may put the sovereignty of the nation at risk. It is the largest military branch of Venezuela and the second in Latin America, which on 24 June 1821 won a huge military victory against the Empire of Spain, which led to the independence of the nation. It later contributed to the independence of the present-day countries of Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, Peru, and Bolivia. The Venezuelan Army is divided into 4 main commands and 6 army divisions as well as other independent units reporting to Headquarters, Venezuelan Army. The Army's Air Defense Artillery Brigades also report directly, as part of the Venezuelan Air Force Air Defense Forces Command, to the Operational Strategic Command for national defense purposes in air defense matters
Ejército Nacional de la República Bolivariana de Venezuela
National Army of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela
The Bolivian Navy is a branch of the Armed Forces of Bolivia. As of 2008, the Bolivian Navy had approximately 5,000 personnel. Although Bolivia has been landlocked since the War of the Pacific and its 1904 peace treaty, Bolivia established a River and Lake Force (Fuerza Fluvial y Lacustre) in January 1963 under the Ministry of National Defense. It consisted of four boats supplied from the United States and 1,800 personnel recruited largely from the Bolivian Army. The Bolivian Navy was renamed the Bolivian Naval Force (Fuerza Naval Boliviana) in January 1966, but it has since been called the Bolivian Navy (Armada Boliviana) as well. It became a separate branch of the armed forces in 1963. Bolivia has large rivers which are tributaries to the Amazon which are patrolled to prevent smuggling and drug trafficking. Bolivia also maintains a naval presence on Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable lake in the world, across which runs the Peruvian frontier.
Landlocked Bolivia has not reconciled with the loss of its coast to Chile and the Navy exists to keep the hope alive of recovering its coast by cultivating a maritime consciousness. The Bolivian Navy takes part in many parades and government functions, but none more so than the Día Del Mar (Day of the Sea) in which Bolivia, every year, re-vindicates its claim for an unspecified sovereign access to the sea. The Navy is organized into ten naval districts with flotilla headquarters in Guaqui, Guayaramerín, Puerto Suárez, Riberalta, and San Pedro de Tiquina and bases in Puerto Busch, Puerto Horquilla, Puerto Villarroel, Trinidad, and Rurrenabaque.
The Naval Force covers the extensive Bolivian inland waterways divided between the following Naval Districts which are named after the basin or region where they operate:
DN1 First Naval District "BENI" —— (DN1 Primer Distrito Naval "BENI")
DN2 Second Naval District "MAMORA" —— (DN2 Segundo Distrito Naval- "MAMORE")
DN3 Third Naval District "MADERA" —— (DN3 Tercer Distrito Naval "MADERA")
DN4 Fourth Naval District "TITICACA" —— (DN4 Cuarto Distrito Naval "TITICACA")
DN5 Fifth Naval District "SANTA CRUZ DE LA SIERRA" —— (DN5 Quinto Distrito Naval "SANTA CRUZ DE LA SIERRA")
Sixth Naval District DN6 "COBIJA" —— (DN6 Sexto Distrito Naval "COBIJA")
The Naval Service Areas:
AN 1 "COCHABAMBA" —— (AN 1 "COCHABAMBA")
AN 2 "SANTA CRUZ" —— (AN 2 "SANTA CRUZ")
AN 3 "BERMEJO" —— (AN 3 "BERMEJO")
AN 4 "LA PAZ" —— (AN 4 "LA PAZ")
Special Operation capable units:
Task Force "Blue Devils" —— (Fuerza de Tarea "Diablos Azules)
SINDA Naval Intelligence Service of the Bolivian Navy —— (Servicio de Inteligencia Naval)
Immediate Response Group GRIN —— (Grupo de Reacción Inmediata GRIN)
The High Altitude Diving Training Center —— (El Centro de Instrucción de Buceo en Altura)
Command Training Center Amphibians.
The Marine component of the FNB originated with the creation of the Marine Battalion Almirante Grau in the early 1980s. This force consisted of 600 men based on Tiquina Naval Base on Lake Titicaca. The name was later changed to Marine Battalion Independence, based in Chua Cocani (Not to be confused with the Independence Regiment (RI17) of the Bolivian army).
At present this marines maintain a similar number of troops including paramilitaries. Marine personnel are either part of Task Force Blue Devils or are stationed in various naval bases. There are currently seven infantry battalions which are distributed as follows:
First Naval District "BENI" —— (Primer Distrito Naval "BENI")
I Marine Battalion "Bagué" —— (Batallón de Infantería de Marina I "Bagué")
Second Naval District "MAMORA" —— (Segundo Distrito Naval "MAMORE")
II Marine Battalion "Tocopilla" —— (Batallón de Infantería de Marina II "Tocopilla")
Third Naval District "MADERA" —— (Batallón de Infantería de Marina II "Tocopilla")
III Marine Battalion "Mejillones" —— (Batallón de Infantería de Marina III "Mejillones")
Fourth Naval District Titicaca —— (Batallón de Infantería de Marina III "Mejillones")
IV Marine Battalion "Alianza" —— (Batallón de Infantería de Marina IV "Alianza")
VI Mechanized Marine Battalion "Independence" —— (Batallón de Infantería de Marina Mecanizada VI "Independencia")
Fifth Naval District "SANTA CRUZ DE LA SIERRA" —— (Quinto Distrito Naval "SANTA CRUZ DE LA SIERRA")
V Marine Battalion Calama —— (Batallón de Infantería de Marina V "Calama")
Sixth Naval District "COBIJA" —— (Sexto Distrito Naval "COBIJA")
VII Marine Battalion "Columna Porvenir" —— (Batallón de Infantería de Marina VII "Columna Porvenir")
National Marine Security Corps.
The Policía Militar Naval or PMN is a speciality similar to its counterpart to the Army's Military Police, carrying out operations such as Important Persons Protection (IPP), Physical Security (SEF), or Patrol Facility (PAT) with additional duties such as Signals or naval protocol. There Naval detachments of PM in all district headquarters and FNB Naval Area. But only have the following units at the Battalion:
AN 4 "La Paz" —— AN 4 "Peace"
Naval Military Police Battalion No. 1 —— (Batallón de Policía Militar Naval N° 1)
AN 1 "COCHABAMBA" —— AN 1 "Cochabamba"
Naval Military Police Battalion No. 2 "Quiver" —— (Batallón de Policia Militar Naval N° 2 "Carcaje")
AN 2 "SANTA CRUZ"—— AN 2 "SANTA CRUZ"
Naval Military Police Battalion No. 3 —— (Batallón de Policía Militar Naval N° 3)
Fourth Naval District Titicaca —— (Cuarto Distrito Naval "TITICACA")
Naval Military Police Battalion No. 4 —— (Batallón de Policía Militar Naval N° 4)
Armada Bolivariana de Venezuela
Bolivarian Navy of Venezuela
Equipment
Amphibious Armored Personnel Carrier
Guardia Nacional Bolivariana de Venezuela
Bolivarian National Guard of Venezuela
The Bolivarian National Guard of Venezuela also called the Armed Forces of Cooperation, is one of the four components of the National Armed Forces of Venezuela. The national guard can serve as gendarmerie, perform civil defence roles, or serve as a reserve light infantry force. The national guard was founded on 4 August 1937 by the then President of the Republic, General-in-Chief Eleazar López Contreras. The motto of the GNB is "El Honor es su divisa" ("Honor is its emblem"), slightly different from the motto of the Spanish Civil Guard "El Honor es mi divisa" ("Honor is my emblem").
Following the Bolivarian Revolution, the Venezuelan National Guard has renamed the Bolivarian National Guard of Venezuela (GNB).
Since then, the GNB has cooperated with paramilitaries known as colectivos within the country.
The National Guard is structured as follows.
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Commanding General of the National Guard (as of 2018): Major General Richard López Vargas
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General Staff of the National Guard: Chief of Staff of the National Guard: Division General Juan Rodríguez Navarro
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Inspector General's Command: Inspector General of the National Guard: Division General Alejandro Constantino Kerelis Bucarito
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Personnel Command: Commanding General, Personnel Command: Division General Octavio Javier Chacón Guzmán
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Logistics Command: Director-General, Logistics Command: Division General Richard López Vargas
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National Guard HQ Support Regiment
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1st Support Detachment
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2nd Support Detachment
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3rd Support Detachment
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Operations Command: Operations Director of the National Guard: Division General Sergio Rivero Marcano
Controls eight or more Mobile Detachments of battalion or regiment size available for deployment to any area of the country in response to threats to internal security or border security.
The command has under its control all nine "regional commands" which control local battalion or regiment-sized National Guard detachments which provide the static defence of certain public buildings, oil installations, and penal institutions (the latter duties now shared with the Policia Nacional Bolivariana) and for the maintenance of public security. Additionally, they patrol the nation's highway system, functioning as a federal highway police force. They also serve as the nation's coast guard and maritime search and rescue service, co-sharing with the Bolivarian Navy of Venezuela's Coast Guard Command in this duty in the coastal states. These are now subdivided into state-level zone commands serving all the states of Venezuela. Most of the RCs and SZCs also control the 16 local rural service commando battalions for keeping order in rural communities, but only the Caracas Capital District ZS has none, instead of having 7 area detachments as of present with 3 regiments sized.
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Regional Command 1 San Antonio de Tachira, Tachira State
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Tachira National Guard Zone Command
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Mérida National Guard Zone Command
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Regional Command 2 Valencia, Carabobo State
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Cojedes National Guard Zone Command
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Carabobo National Guard Zone Command
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Aragua National Guard Zone Command
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Regional Command 3 Maracaibo, Zulia State
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Zulia National Guard Zone Command
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Regional Command 4 Barquisimeto, Lara State
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Lara National Guard Zone Command
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Falcon National Guard Zone Command
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Yaracuy National Guard Zone Command
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Regional Command 5 Caracas, Capital District
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Venezuelan Capital District National Guard Zone Command
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Vargas and Federal Dependencies National Guard Zone Command
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Orinoco Oil Fields Special Zone Command
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Miranda and Insular Territory National Guard Zone Command
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Regional Command 6 San Fernando de Apure, Apure State
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Apure National Guard Zone Command
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Barinas National Guard Zone Command
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Portuguesa National Guard Zone Command
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Regional Command 7 Barcelona, Anzoategui State
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Guarico National Guard Zone Command
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Anzoátegui National Guard Zone Command
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Nueva Esparta National Guard Zone Command
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Sucre National Guard Zone Command
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Regional Command 8 Puerto Ordaz, Bolivar State
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Bolivar National Guard Zone Command
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Delta Amaruco National Guard Zone Command
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Regional Command 9 Puerto Ayacucho, Amazonas State
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Amazonas National Guard Zone Command
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Air Operations Command (Air National Guard)
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Coastal Vigilance Command - Commanding General, CVC: Brigadier General Alex Ramón Barreno Oberto
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National Guard Customs Security Service
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National Guard Frontier Detachments
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National Guard Public Order and Security Units
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National Guard Corps of Engineers
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National Guard Criminal Investigations Service
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Education Command: Commander, Education Command: Division General Jose Eliecer Pinto Gutiérrez
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National Guard Military Academy
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Superintendent of the National Guard Academy: Brigadier Winder González Urdaneta
Deputy Superintendent of the National Guard Academy: Colonel Javier Ramón Ordaz Ferrer
Commandant of the Regiment of Cadets: Colonel Sergio Negrin Alvarado
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National Guard Formation Schools
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National Guard Military High School "CPT Pedro Maria Ochoa Morales"
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Special Operations Command
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Commando Action Group of the National Guard
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National Guard Rural Commando Detachments
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People's Guards National Command - Commanding General, People's Guards National Command: Brigadier General Josué Dulcey Parada
Created by Hugo Chávez in 2011 for Guardsmen mandated for police protection alongside the Bolivarian National Police and aimed at keeping peace and order as well as fighting against drug-related and alcohol-related crimes and the illegal arms and drug trade in the country. They also help in public works repairs and ensuring security during major holidays. The service today is composed of 17 state-level People's Guards Regiments in several of the States of Venezuela and the Venezuelan Capital District, with more to be raised soon, together with 29 independent People's Guards Battalions and 21 Public Safety Battalions in major cities nationwide. The regiments are each divided into 2 to 4 battalion-sized detachments and a headquarters unit.
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Anti-Drug National Command - Commanding General: Brigadier General Arturo Olivar Moreno
This command is in charge of combating the use and spread of illegal drugs in Venezuela and works with other South American police forces in fighting the illegal drug trade in the continent.
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National Development Department
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National Guard Environmental Security Service Directorate
Mandated for the protection of Venezuela's natural resources, especially the ancestral lands of its indigenous peoples, and the enforcement of environmental laws.
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Social Action Division of the National Guard (in the planning stages)
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Anti-Extortion and Sequestration National Command
The newest command of the National Guard mandated to counter financial crimes and serious criminal activities formed up of the National Guard Anti-Extortion and Sequestration Groups (GAES - Grupo Anti-Extorsión y Secuestro) in every Venezuelan state, created via Ministerial Resolution of the Ministry of Defense No. 000568 on April 4, 2013. All the states plus the Capital District have one AESG detachment each to fight serious crimes. The command is led by Brigadier General Alexis Escalona Marrero.
Equipment
Milicia Nacional Bolivariana de Venezuela
Bolivarian Militia
The Bolivarian Militia of Venezuela is a militia branch of the National Bolivarian Armed Forces of Venezuela. Its headquarters is at the National Military Museum, Fort Montana, Caracas. The Commanding General of the National Militia is Major General Carlos Augusto Leal Tellería, Venezuelan Army, as of March 2018. The National Militia celebrates its anniversary every April 13 yearly.
The General Command of the National Militia has divided in three branches of its own plus a third branch divided into the two:
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The National Reserve Service, consisting of all Venezuelan citizens who are not in active military service, or have completed national military service, or who voluntarily join the reserve units (all active reserve units are not part of the NM but of the service branches of the NAF)
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The Territorial Guard Component, consisting of all Venezuelan citizens who voluntarily serve to organize local resistance to any external threat to the nation. These are divided into the Special Resistance Combatant Corps, aimed at the wartime and peacetime defence of public institutions and state and private enterprises, and the Workers' Territorial Militia Components divided into:
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General Employment Militia Detachments, the mobile quick action component stationed in all the states of Venezuela, metropolitan areas and cities
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Territorial Employment Militia Battalions, stationed strategically in key cities and townships in Venezuela and areas of key importance
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Community Militia Detachments, stationed in all townships and cities in all the states of Venezuela, mandated to keep the public order and defend government institutions and economical assets like factories
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Rural Employment Militia Battalions, stationed in all public farmlands
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The People's Navy Branch, raised in 2013, which is the naval militia component that is mandated towards the defence of the Venezuelan coastline and territorial waters, itself divided into the Naval Reserve Command (part of the NRS) and the Workers' Naval Employment Territorial Militia Battalions, part of the TGC
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The People's National Defense Corps, raised in 2018, serves as the operational reserve of the National Armed Forces in protecting public order and security.
Today the General Command of the National Militia is organized on the basis of nine Reserve brigades, present throughout the national territory, dozen Special Resistance Corps (grouped around workers contingents of state and private sector enterprises and national institutions at all levels) plus the territorial national service militia commands mentioned, and even a newly created national guards brigade, and in the future, armour and aviation units. It is an autonomous and auxiliary force for the Armed Forces' service branches, with its own chain of command and service arms, reporting directly to the President, the Minister of Defense and the Operational Strategic Command. It can be estimated at the present time about 400,000 men and women are on various training levels, but the target of its authorities is to reach 1,100,000 part-time servicemen and women in the coming years. Today more than 160,000 men and women serve actively in the militia, with plans to have a half a-million-strong active force of reserve national servicemen and women in 2015.
Following the 2017 Venezuelan constitutional crisis and its subsequent protests, President Maduro announced the expansion of the militia to include 500,000 personnel, stating that the government would purchase a new rifle for each militiaman, with plans to increase its personnel numbers to about over a million active service personnel plus an undetermined number of reserves.
Equipment
