Venezuelan Marine Corps
Encyclopedia
The Venezuelan Bolivarian Marine Corps are known as the Bolivarian Marine Infantry or formally as the Marine Division "General Simon Bolivar" (División de Infantería de Marina General Simón Bolívar) and is part of the Venezuelan Navy. Its motto: Por la Patria y por la Armada (For the Fatherland and for the Navy).
which was formed in 1822 and was dissolved in 1829 following Venezuela's secession from Gran Colombia. This was surprising as the Marine Corps of the Confederation largely consisted of Venezuelans. The Marines' most notable engagement in this era was the Battle of Lake Maracaibo
(1823).
on 1 July 1938 when a company was formed to provide ships detachments. A second company was formed on 8 December 1939 and a third in 1943. They were then merged into the Naval Infantry Battalion (Batallone de Infanteria de Marina -BIM) Simon Bolivar, headquartered at Puerto Cabello, on 11 December 1945. This is looked upon as the official anniversary of the marines. In February 1946 a second BIM General Rafael Urdaneta was raised at Puerto Cabello and the original BIM became the 1st battalion and was then moved to Marquetia. Marine headquarters was then located in Caracas
. The third Battalion Mariscal Jose Antonio de Sucre was then formed in 1958 at Carupano. In the late 1970s the Amphibious Assault Company, equipped with LVTP-7 and the Marine Anti-Aircraft Artillery Company, equipped with M-42 Dusters, were raised. The 4th Battalion General Francisco de Miranda was formed in the early 1980s and initially consisted of the Amphibious Assault Company and the Marine Anti-Aircraft Artillery Company.
In June 1962, 2d BIM at Puerto Cabello mutinied. The mutiny was put down by the navy and other marines.
Between 1975 and 1994 the marines underwent two new adjustments to its organization. On 11 December 2000, by presidential decree, the Marine Infantry were honored with the name Gen. Simón Bolívar Marine Division. On 15 October 2003 the Naval Police Command Gran Mariscal de Ayacucho was integrated into the Marines.
On 5 April 2005, the Corps of Engineers, was activated and placed directly under the General Command of the Navy by Presidential Resolution No. DG-031,764 dated 21 July 2005. In turn, the Naval Police Brigade "Gran Mariscal de Ayacucho Antonio José de Sucre" wa reestablished as the Naval Police Command ceasing its dependence on the Division and remained attached to the Naval Operations Command.
Vice Admiral
Diego Guerra Barreto is the current commandant
.
1st Marine Brigade General Carlos Soublette
2nd Marine Brigade RADM José Eugenio Hernández
5th Marine Riverline Brigade LTCDR José Tomas Machado
6th Marine Border (Riverine) Brigade General in Chief José Antonio Páez
7th Border (Riverine) brigade Brigade General Franz António Risques Irribarren
Each border/riverine command consists of the following:
These units have a base of operations and five naval outposts with a Marine company and no less than 6 assault and river combat speedboats each.
Marine Engineers Brigade CA José Ramón Yépez
9th Naval Police Brigade "Grand Marshal of Ayacucho"
Naval Reserve Brigade
Armor
Artillery and anti-aircraft batteries
Tactical and transport land vehicles
Speedboats and launches
Other models in service include Caroní, Manapiare, Caimán, 22 Apure/Apure II assault launches, (all designed and made in Venezuela) and US Coibas.
Nineteenth century
The Venezuelan Marines trace their history back to the combined marines corps of Gran ColombiaGran Colombia
Gran Colombia is a name used today for the state that encompassed much of northern South America and part of southern Central America from 1819 to 1831. This short-lived republic included the territories of present-day Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Panama, northern Peru and northwest Brazil. The...
which was formed in 1822 and was dissolved in 1829 following Venezuela's secession from Gran Colombia. This was surprising as the Marine Corps of the Confederation largely consisted of Venezuelans. The Marines' most notable engagement in this era was the Battle of Lake Maracaibo
Battle of Lake Maracaibo
The Battle of Lake Maracaibo also known as the "Naval Battle of the Lake" was fought on 24 July 1823 in Venezuela's Lake Maracaibo between Admiral José Prudencio Padilla and royalist Captain Ángel Laborde....
(1823).
Twentieth century
The Venezuelan marines were formed at Puerto CabelloPuerto Cabello
Puerto Cabello is a city on the north coast of Venezuela. It is located in Carabobo State about 75 km west of Caracas. As of 2001, the city has a population of around 154,000 people. The city is the home to the largest port in the country and is thus a vital cog in the country's vast oil...
on 1 July 1938 when a company was formed to provide ships detachments. A second company was formed on 8 December 1939 and a third in 1943. They were then merged into the Naval Infantry Battalion (Batallone de Infanteria de Marina -BIM) Simon Bolivar, headquartered at Puerto Cabello, on 11 December 1945. This is looked upon as the official anniversary of the marines. In February 1946 a second BIM General Rafael Urdaneta was raised at Puerto Cabello and the original BIM became the 1st battalion and was then moved to Marquetia. Marine headquarters was then located in Caracas
Caracas
Caracas , officially Santiago de León de Caracas, is the capital and largest city of Venezuela; natives or residents are known as Caraquenians in English . It is located in the northern part of the country, following the contours of the narrow Caracas Valley on the Venezuelan coastal mountain range...
. The third Battalion Mariscal Jose Antonio de Sucre was then formed in 1958 at Carupano. In the late 1970s the Amphibious Assault Company, equipped with LVTP-7 and the Marine Anti-Aircraft Artillery Company, equipped with M-42 Dusters, were raised. The 4th Battalion General Francisco de Miranda was formed in the early 1980s and initially consisted of the Amphibious Assault Company and the Marine Anti-Aircraft Artillery Company.
In June 1962, 2d BIM at Puerto Cabello mutinied. The mutiny was put down by the navy and other marines.
Between 1975 and 1994 the marines underwent two new adjustments to its organization. On 11 December 2000, by presidential decree, the Marine Infantry were honored with the name Gen. Simón Bolívar Marine Division. On 15 October 2003 the Naval Police Command Gran Mariscal de Ayacucho was integrated into the Marines.
On 5 April 2005, the Corps of Engineers, was activated and placed directly under the General Command of the Navy by Presidential Resolution No. DG-031,764 dated 21 July 2005. In turn, the Naval Police Brigade "Gran Mariscal de Ayacucho Antonio José de Sucre" wa reestablished as the Naval Police Command ceasing its dependence on the Division and remained attached to the Naval Operations Command.
Organization
Headquartered in Meseta de Mamo, Vargas, the estimated numerical strength of this unit is of approx. 20,000 men and women. Its mission is to "enlist and direct its units in order to form the disembarking force and/or support of amphibious or special operations; executing naval safeguarding and environmental policing, as well as actively participating in the national development".Vice Admiral
Vice Admiral
Vice admiral is a senior naval rank of a three-star flag officer, which is equivalent to lieutenant general in the other uniformed services. A vice admiral is typically senior to a rear admiral and junior to an admiral...
Diego Guerra Barreto is the current commandant
Commandant
Commandant is a senior title often given to the officer in charge of a large training establishment or academy. This usage is common in anglophone nations...
.
Major Units
- Headquarters Battalion
- Support Battalion ADM Luis Brión
- Marine Artillery Group VADM Lino de Clemente
- Marine Communication Battalion CDR. Felipe Baptista
- 8th Special Operations Command Brigade Generalissimo Francisco de MirandaFrancisco de MirandaSebastián Francisco de Miranda Ravelo y Rodríguez de Espinoza , commonly known as Francisco de Miranda , was a Venezuelan revolutionary...
- Replacement Regiment RADM Armando López Conde
1st Marine Brigade General Carlos Soublette
- 2nd Marine Infantry Battalion General Rafael UrdanetaRafael UrdanetaRafael José Urdaneta y Faría was a Venezuelan General and hero of the Spanish American wars of independence in several countries in northern South America.- Biographic data :...
- 4th Marine Infantry Battalion Generalissimo Francisco de Miranda
- (6th) Marine Infantry Battalion RADM Renato Beluche
- Amphibious Vehicles Battalion LCDR Manuel Ponce Lugo
2nd Marine Brigade RADM José Eugenio Hernández
- 1st Marine Infantry Battalion GEN Simón BolívarSimón BolívarSimón José Antonio de la Santísima Trinidad Bolívar y Palacios Ponte y Yeiter, commonly known as Simón Bolívar was a Venezuelan military and political leader...
- 3rd Marine Infantry Battalion MSHL Antonio José de SucreAntonio José de SucreAntonio José de Sucre y Alcalá , known as the "Gran Mariscal de Ayacucho" , was a Venezuelan independence leader. Sucre was one of Simón Bolívar's closest friends, generals and statesmen.-Ancestry:...
- (5th?) Marine Infantry Battalion GEN José Francisco Bermudez
5th Marine Riverline Brigade LTCDR José Tomas Machado
6th Marine Border (Riverine) Brigade General in Chief José Antonio Páez
José Antonio Páez
José Antonio Páez Herrera was General in Chief of the army fighting Spain during the Venezuelan Wars of Independence, in addition to becoming the President of Venezuela once it was independent of the Gran Colombia...
- Border River Command LT Jacinto Muñoz
- Orinoco-Apure axis (Riverine) command General Manuel Piar
7th Border (Riverine) brigade Brigade General Franz António Risques Irribarren
- Border l (Riverine) command VADM Armando Medina
- Border l (Riverine) command VADM Francisco Pérez Hernández
Each border/riverine command consists of the following:
- a command,
- a Marine Infantry Battalion,
- a Maintenance company and
- a Service Support company.
These units have a base of operations and five naval outposts with a Marine company and no less than 6 assault and river combat speedboats each.
Marine Engineers Brigade CA José Ramón Yépez
- 141 Battalion of Combat Engineers LT Jerónigo Rengifo
- 142 Battalion of Maintenance and Construction RADM José María García
- 143 Battalion of Maintenance and Construction CPT Nicolás Jolly
- 144 Battalion of Maintenance and Construction GEN Ezequiel Zamora
9th Naval Police Brigade "Grand Marshal of Ayacucho"
- 1º Naval Police Battalion "CPT Alejo Sánchez Navarro"
- 2º Naval Police Battalion "RADM Matías Padrón"
- 3º Naval Police Battalion "RADM Otto Pérez Seijas"
- 4º Naval Police Battalion "CPT Juan Daniel Daniels"
Naval Reserve Brigade
- Naval Reserve Battalion Battle of Chichiriviche
- Naval Reserve Battalion Battle of Punta Brava
- Naval Reserve Battalion Expedición de la Vela de Coro
- Naval Reserve Battalion Expedición de Los Cayos
Arms and equipment
Naval Infantry's equipment is the same standard issue as the rest of the armed forces, excluding Special Forces armaments. Armored units and heavy equipments of the Naval Infantry is the following:Armor
- 6x6 EngesaEngesaEngesa – Engenheiros Especializados S/A was a Brazilian company in the agriculture and defense sectors that specialized in producing tactical military trucks, armored fighting vehicles, and civilian Sport utility vehicles....
EE-11 Urutú Amphibious Assault APC. *BrazilBrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
- 38 EE-11, (3 EE-11 VCMDM3S1+3 EE-11 VRCPM3S2 +12 EE-11 VTTRM3S7 +20 EE-11 VTTRM3S6) - FMC LVTP-7 Amphibious Assault Armored Vehicle. *USUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
- 11 AAVT-7s, (1 AAVTC-7 +1AAVTR-7 +9AAVTP-7)
Artillery and anti-aircraft batteries
- Oto MelaraOto MelaraOto Melara is an Italian defence company with factories in Brescia and La Spezia. It was founded in 1905 as a joint venture of Vickers and Terni. During World War I, Vickers Terni produced many weapons with calibre 40 mm and upwards. In 1929 the company was renamed Odero Terni Orlando with the...
M-56 105/14mm towed howitzer. (Italy)- 50 - Thomson-Brandt MO-120 120mm heavy mortar. (France)- 35
- BoforsBoforsThe name Bofors has been associated with the iron industry for more than 350 years.Located in Karlskoga, Sweden, the company originates from the hammer mill "Boofors" founded 1646. The modern corporate structure was created in 1873 with the foundation of Aktiebolaget Bofors-Gullspång...
RBS-70 anti-aircraft battery. (United Kingdom)- 20
Tactical and transport land vehicles
- Land Rover Defender 90HT/110HT. (United Kingdom) - +500
- Ford M151 MUTT. (United States)
- Chevrolet M-705. (United States)
- IAI M-325 Commandacar.
- Steyr-MAN L-80 series, tactical transport truck.
- Engesa EE-25, tactical transport truck. (Brazil)
Speedboats and launches
- Guardian 22' patrol speedboat. (United States)
- Guardian 25' patrol speedboat. (United States)
Other models in service include Caroní, Manapiare, Caimán, 22 Apure/Apure II assault launches, (all designed and made in Venezuela) and US Coibas.