The Bolivarian Navy of Venezuela, commonly known as the Venezuelan Navy, is the naval branch of the National Bolivarian Armed Forces of Venezuela. The Venezuelan Navy serves the purpose of defending the naval sovereignty of Venezuela, including inland and fluvial security, and it also serves to prevent illegal activities on Venezuela's borders and collaborates with international organizations to safeguard international waters from criminal activities.

History

The Venezuelan Navy was born as a coastal defense force during the beginning of the Venezuelan War of Independence. In May 1810, Commander Lino de Clemente, a veteran officer of the Spanish Navy who joined the April 1810 coup against the colonial government, was appointed the first Minister of Defense of the republic and began the long building of the armed forces including the formation of the navy. In April 1811 the Nautical School, with Ensign Vicente Parrado as its first superintendent, was opened by order of the national government in La Guaira to train future naval officers, months before the Venezuelan Declaration of Independence, thus the Navy's origins start from this date, with its first vessels being those formerly used by the naval forces of the Captaincy General of Venezuela, and participated in its first actions in the campaigns in Guayana in 1811-12, the baptism of fire for the fledgling naval service. Colonel Antonio Mendoza from the Venezuelan Army was its first commanding general. For a long time their vessels, even if obsolete, were maintained properly by its sailors. In 1937 the Navy acquired from Italy two gunboats of the Azio-class minelayer and rechristened them General Soublette and General Urdaneta; these ships were retained in service until 1951 (for other sources in 1948 or 1950 ) and scrapped later.

Joint exercises

In September 2008, the Russian Navy's nuclear-powered missile cruiser Pyotr Velikiy, accompanied by three other ships of Russia's Northern Fleet, sailed from its base in Severomorsk on a cruise to the Caribbean Sea for a joint exercise with the Venezuelan Navy. This action represented the first major Russian power projection in that region since the end of the Cold War. The fleet of ships, headed by the nuclear-powered Pyotr Velikiy, set off from its base at Severomorsk in the Arctic on 22 September. Russian Navy spokesman Igor Dygalo told the AFP news agency, "It's the nuclear-powered guided missile cruiser Peter the Great, the anti-submarine warship Admiral Chebanenko and other accompanying ships". The other ships included a tug boat and supply ships.

Crisis in Venezuela

During a 2019 crisis in Venezuela, the Venezuelan Navy became engaged in the conflict when it began to prevent the entry of humanitarian aid into the country. A ship departing from Puerto Rico attempted to ship aid into the Venezuelan port city of Puerto Cabello. Six vessels of the Venezuelan Navy, including the Mariscal Sucre-class frigate Almirante Brion and patrol boats, were deployed to prevent the entry of the aid shipment. The ship, carrying civilians, returned to Puerto Rico after the Venezuelan Navy threatened to "open fire" on the humanitarian ship. Governor of Puerto Rico Ricardo Rossello, who ordered the return of the ship, stated that the act by the Venezuelan Navy was "unacceptable and shameful" and that Puerto Rico "notified our partners in the U.S. government about this serious incident". On 30 March 2020, the Venezuelan patrol boat Naiguatá sank after a collision with the polar ice class cruise liner RCGS Resolute, while in international waters. According to RCGS Resolute's owner, the Coast Guard ship had fired shots and ordered the cruise ship to follow it to Margarita Island, a Venezuelan harbour. Naiguatá sank following the collision, with RCGS Resolute informing the international Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) of the incident and offering assistance. After staying in the area for an hour, RCGS Resolute was informed through MRCC that assistance was not required as Naiguatá's crew had been rescued by the Venezuelan Navy. According to the Portuguese after-incident investigation, RCGS Resolute had departed Buenos Aires on 5 March and sailed to the Caribbean Sea. She was contacted by Venezuelan patrol boat Naiguatá on the night of 30 March. Two hours later, an unexpected change in Naiguatá's heading just before the collision may have been caused by a suction effect between the vessels as the faster patrol boat passed the bow of the cruise ship. Although the collision may have not been intentional ramming, the conclusion was nonetheless that the incident that led to the sinking of Naiguatá was a deliberate act initiated by the Venezuelan Navy rather than an accidental occurrence.

Organization of the Navy

As of 2024, Admiral Neil Jesús Villamizar Sánchez was the Commanding General of the National Navy.

Naval Operations Command

The Naval Operations Command is commanded by the Chief of Naval Operations. In 2014, this was Vice Admiral Antonio Díaz Clemente.

Venezuelan Naval Aviation

Venezuelan Naval Aviation serves as the air arm of the Venezuelan Navy, with responsibility for air operations and transport for the entire Navy.

Coast Guard

Headquartered in La Guaira, Vargas, the Venezuelan Coast Guard is responsible for the surveillance of Venezuela's jurisdictional waters.

List of current and former ships

Fleet forces and Coast Guard ship organization

Light frigates

Offshore patrol vessels

Amphibious and service ships

Coast guard ships

In 2006, Venezuela had four patrol boats, 2 more Venezuelan-built by 2008, and perhaps some others which are not verified. It is unclear how many, or if any, are still operational in 2023.

Naval aviation assets

Airplanes

Helicopters

Naval ranks

Professional and enlisted

Officers