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98-429: Juan Vicente Gómez Chacón (24 July 1857 – 17 December 1935) was a Venezuelan military general , politician and de facto ruler of Venezuela from 1908 until his death in 1935. He was president on three occasions during this time, ruling through puppet governments in between. Important public works were carried out during his dictatorship . He founded the country's first airline, Aeropostal Alas de Venezuela and

196-574: A Serbian community and Serbian Orthodox church . The city of Maracay has no synagogue. However, nine indigenous inhabitants converted to Conservative Judaism in Valencia in 2014 after a three-year study course . In 2016, they were denied the right to emigrate to Israel by the Israeli Ministry of Interior, under the assumption that they failed to "belong to a Jewish community" in Maracay. Maracay

294-539: A great deal to Maracay's economy . . Maracay has good transportation facilities and infrastructure . The city is linked to most other important localities by the Autopista Regional del Centro (Central Regional Highway). It also has good access to Venezuela's small national railway system . The city boasts the national hydroplane airport, located on the shore of the Lago de Valencia (Lake of Valencia). The city does not have

392-557: A more bigger guards brigade targeted for the immediate security of the Liberator, and the early 20th century 1st Cavalry Regiment "Ambrosio Plaza" that until the 1950s, albeit reduced to squadron size, provided the ceremonial security of the President and was modeled on the Prussian practices of the late 19th century. The Presidential Honor Guard Brigade is composed today by the personnel from both

490-581: A newly created national guards brigade. 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

588-509: A prominent family of Andean landowners who lived in the La Mulera . He was the firstborn son of Pedro Cornelio Gomez and Hermenegilda Chacon Alarcon. In 1899, he joined the private army of Cipriano Castro , with whom he had been friends since Castro's exile in Colombia . This army swept down on Caracas in 1899 and seized control of the country. He became Castro's vice president and, in 1902, head of

686-441: A rare occurrence – which permanently rooted a sense of national unity in the country. He brought about the end of civil wars and political insurrections by exerting power over regional caudillos to strengthen his own power, and as a result, Venezuela became a peaceful country for several decades. Ironically, the elimination of the caudillo problem and the choosing of Eleazar López Contreras as his last minister of war and marine paved

784-530: A snide reference to his bushy mustache and outward appearance. They also called him "the Tyrant of the Andes " – a reference to his roots in the mountain state of Táchira . Gómez spent the last year of his term on a military campaign, and José Gil Fortoul served as de facto acting president. Gómez was reelected in 1914, but declined to take office, and Victorino Márquez was elected provisional president in his stead. It

882-679: A standing Army, weapons, and creating new services including the Corps of Sappers. This phase of the Venezuelan Army, is marked by infighting and a domain of local militias with no training (the Federal War was one example). The little outside help in military matters at this stage is limited to the British and the later Chilean military missions, which began the long modernization of the army and navy. The military figures (there were other political figures) of

980-426: A subway system, but one is in the planning stages. Maracay has two airports. The Airport Mariscal Sucre ( IATA MYC ICAO SVBS) and the military Air Base El Libertador ( ICAO SVBL) Maracay is a city heavily influenced by the military . Maracay is the cradle of Venezuelan aviation, and it is home to the two largest Air Force bases in the country. The Venezuelan F-16 fighter planes are stationed here, as well as

1078-556: A suitable place to make his residence during his rule, and ordered the construction of an Arc of Triumph, a bull plaza (a near replica of the one in Seville , Spain), an Ópera house, a Zoo, and, most notably, the Hotel Jardín (Garden Hotel), a majestic, tourist attraction with very large gardens. The city is home to the Mausoleo de Gómez (Gómez's mausoleum), where the dictator is buried. One of

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1176-552: A sustained growth of the military budget, which was made possible by oil revenues. The reform had a strong German influence. This is due mainly to the fact the Prussian/German army was the most modern of the era and in this sense become a model internationally. The most important political consequence of this reform, from 1913, was a sense of the rising political power of the Venezuelan military while retaining its traditional role as

1274-463: A threat to regime and suppressed both, denouncing the former as a "plague" and the latter as "a tool of the devil." John Gunther described Gómez as follows: "The Catfish was—let us not gloss over the fact—a murderous blackguard. He made use of tortures of inconceivable brutality; political prisoners, of which there were thousands, dragged out their lives bearing leg irons ( grillos ) that made them permanent cripples, if they were not hung upside down—by

1372-404: Is a controversial period in the country's history. His leadership brought enrichment to the country, particularly after the discovery of oil, which enabled the development of a modern infrastructure. His insistence on road construction and the creation of jobs in the then-new oil industry promoted population mobility and more frequent social contact among Venezuelans of different regions – previously

1470-420: Is a docile people"). Although cordial and simple in manner and speech, his ruthless crushing of opponents through his secret police earned him the reputation of a tyrant. He was also accused of trying to make the country his personal fiefdom. Under Gómez, Venezuela completed a degree of independence and financial progress. After oil become determined close to Lake Maracaibo in 1914, Gómez bargained shrewdly with

1568-430: Is composed of armored units, infantry, engineers, special forces and artillery, with resources that allow it to develop various types of airlift operations. It is the largest military branch of Venezuela's armed forces. Its current commanding general is Major General Juan de Jesús García Toussaintt. The Venezuelan Navy ( Fuerzas Navales or Armada Bolivariana ) and Marines ( Infanteria de Marina ) primary mission

1666-723: Is currently in the planning stages. Navy Day is celebrated on the date of Simon Bolivar's birthday, 24 July, the day of the final battle of the Venezuelan War of Independence, the Battle of Lake Maracaibo , in 1823. The Commanding General of the Navy (as of 2015) is Admiral Franklin Montplaisier. Founded in 1946 through the merger of the army and navy aviation wings, the Venezuelan Air Force ( Fuerzas Aérea or Aviación Militar )

1764-606: Is made up today of roughly 63,000 troops (including conscripts). Its main function is planning, implementing and monitoring terrestrial military operations in coordination with the other components of the national armed forces, in pursuit of the Integrated National Defense mission. Currently, it is organized in six operating divisions plus the other components: the Army Aviation Command, 6th Corps of Engineers, Army Logistics Command, and Army Education Command. It

1862-809: Is organized the same as the other military components, with the following commands: Air Operations Command (integrated in thirteen Air Groups, consisting of squadrons of transport aircraft, helicopters, fighter and attack aircraft and training aircraft), the Air Defense Forces Command, the Airborne Command, the Air Logistics Command, the Air Personnel Command, including the Air Force Police and the Air Force Corps of Engineers, and

1960-969: Is the Coastal Surveillance Command, the Air Support Command, the Corps of Engineers, the Logistics Support Command, the National Guard Command School and the National Guard Academy and the various other institutions under its Education Command. It is planned to structure the National Guard in divisions, under the command of the Territorial Commands. In 2007, the National Guard was renamed as the Bolivarian National Guard of Venezuela, and

2058-493: 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 Venezuelan Ministry of

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2156-764: Is the joint service military unit mandated to ensure the immediate security of the President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and his First Family and for the performance of public duties in the most important places in the country. The most distant antecedents of the Presidential Honor Guard go back to the Hussars Troop of Bolivar, of the Venezuelan War of Independence and of the larger Spanish American wars of independence , raised in June 1815 and part of

2254-513: Is to implement, manage and control naval operations, naval aircraft, and the Coast Guard in support of Navy activities to ensure the execution of plans of employment. The staff is estimated at 30,000 personnel including 12,000 Marines and 600 personnel from the Naval Aviation. There are five major commands: Naval Logistics Command, Naval Personnel Command, Naval Education and Training Command and

2352-491: Is to reach 1,100,000 part-time national servicemen and women, including a newly raised youth cadet arm for university students and a women's militia component. As of 2021, the National Militia is a 3 million strong force of male and female reservists and part-time national service personnel. And as part of its expansion the National Militia has been active in training exercises with the other service branches in preparation for

2450-564: The AK-103s ; as well as the ammunition for both models. The mountains on the north side of Maracay, that separate it from the coast, make up the Henri Pittier National Park , named after the Swiss naturalist that studied them. The park is a lush rainforest , noted for its variety of ferns . Two very winding roads cut through the park over the mountains to the coast. One, beginning at

2548-616: The National Pantheon of Venezuela complex, also in Caracas, with guard mounting duties done daily, with all of them open to the public. The dress uniform used by the Presidential Honor Guards mirrors the uniform of Bolivar's Hussar Troop during the Venezuelan War of Independence: red short jacket polo with black trousers or pants with sabre and scabbard, long black belt, black boots and a busby hat. The Mounted Platoon wears

2646-459: The Sabretache with the dress uniform when mounted in appropriate occasions like military parades. In both cases the brigade personnel carry sabres and lances with the full dress uniform (only the color guard carries rifles). Red berets with the distinctive unit insignia are worn with the service dress green and combat dress uniforms except by personnel from the Venezuelan Air Force who are part of

2744-769: The Venezuelan Air Force . He commissioned the construction of Venezuela's first airports: Maracaibo International Airport "Grano de Oro", La Fría, Encontrados, Sucre Base (now Florencio Gomez National Airport in Maracay, Aragua), Aragua Meteorological Air Base (the cradle and birthplace of the airport). Venezuelan Aviation, later converted into Aviation Museum), Porlamar (now Municipal Police Headquarters, replaced by Santiago Mariño Caribbean International Airport ), Leonardo Chirinos International Airport in Coro, Juan Vicente Gómez International Airport and Mérida's Alberto Carnevalli Airport . Likewise, bridges, customs buildings (such as

2842-458: The Venezuelan economy , the ally and servant of powerful outside interests." This is in reference to Royal Dutch Shell and Standard Oil 's appeasement of the dictator in return for exploration rights to the country's oil fields . In Venezuelan politics , Juan Vicente Gómez has come to symbolize political endurance and a right-wing caudillo mentality together with Marcos Pérez Jiménez . Gómez

2940-665: The Viceroyalty of New Granada (today, Colombia) for the defense of the area. In 1732 the Spanish crown created a Military Directorate and established a number of battalions, and had a few units from infantry regiments based in Spain arrive in the area. Reform of the military in the colonies began a few decades later. The first squadrons of cavalry arrived from Spain in 1751. The first batteries of Artillery were officially raised just two years later. Both Creole whites and blacks were allowed to enter

3038-812: The Air Education and Training Command, including the Air Force Academy, Air Personnel Training School, and the Air Power College. Its main objective is to protect the airspace of Venezuela in coordination with the other components of the National Armed Forces. In 2007, the Air Force was renamed as the Bolivarian National Military Air Force of Venezuela and has gone into an expansion and modernization program. The Commanding General of

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3136-526: The Carabobo Reorganizational Plan, aimed to enhance the capability of the Army and marked an increase of regular army units and materiel. The Air Force, Navy and National Guard increased their capabilities as well with modern equipment to satisfy all those who serve. Born again under a turbulent internal and external picture for the nation is the modern National Bolivarian Armed Forces, in the midst of

3234-681: The Commandant of the Operational Strategic Command, the Commanding General of the Army, the Commanding General of the Navy, the Commanding General of the Air Force, the Commanding General of the National Guard, and the Commanding General of the National Militia General Command (AFOL Art. 42). The National Armed Forces High Council is made by the Military High Command. It is the principal organ for consultation and advice of

3332-601: The Commander-in-Chief (the President ) and the 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 2018 ,

3430-531: The French Revolution, or after completing their studies in Europe. With them came a number of mercenaries and volunteers of many different nationalities: English, Scottish, Irish, French, German, Brazilian, Poles, Russians, and others. It was only in 1810 in the aftermath of the coup d'état of 19 April that year that formally began the process of raising the national armed services. Several of the military officers of

3528-581: 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. All of these are led by officers of Lieutenant General or Vice Admiral rank. The armed forces is divided into six service branches, the Army, Navy, Air Force, National Guard, National Reserve and

3626-687: The Minister of Defense and the Commandant of the OSC, and assisted by the Assistant Commandant and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, service branch commanding generals, commanding generals of the Integral Strategic Defense Regions, and a secretary general of the HCA. The Operational Strategic Command (CEOFAN) is the highest organ of command of the National Armed Forces. It was created by

3724-679: The Naval Operations Command, which in turn is composed of the following commands: Fleet Forces Command, Riverline Command, Naval Aviation Command, Coast Guard Command and the Marine Division. Operationally, the country is divided into two Naval zones; Western Naval Zone (HQ: Punto Fijo) and Eastern Naval Area (HQ: Carupano) that currently covers the Atlantic coast. The activation of the projected areas: Central Naval Area (HQ: Puerto Cabello), Atlantic (HQ: Güiria) and South (HQ: Caicara Orinoco)

3822-741: The North-Central part of the city known as Urbanización El Castaño, goes to the beach town of Choroní . The other, beginning at the North-Western part at the city of El Limón, goes to Ocumare de la Costa and the beaches of Cata and Cuyagua . Maracay houses the Faculty of Veterinarians and Agronomy of the Universidad Central de Venezuela, and an extension of the Universidad de Carabobo . The main Campus of

3920-409: The OSC, NBAF, alongside the air defense units of the Army, Air Force and Navy under the banner of the OSC Air Defense Forces Command , albeit being commanded by an Air Force general officer, as of 2017 Division General Juan Manuel Diaz. The Integral Strategic Defense Regions or ISDRs (REDI, Regiones Estrategicas de Defensa Integral ) were formally activated on 13 September 2008, in compliance with

4018-446: The People's Power for Defense is the federal-level organ responsible for maintaining the Venezuelan armed forces. As of November 2014, this ministry is headed by General Vladimir Padrino Lopez , who replaced Admiral Carmen Meléndez who was appointed Venezuela's first woman minister of interior. The ministry coordinates numerous counter-narcotics operations, organizes various civil protection measures and operations, and generally oversees

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4116-423: The President of the Republic, of the National Defense Council and Minister of Defense, on issues of organization, operation, development and employment of the Armed Forces, either in peacetime or in state of emergency. Per the 2014 amendments to the Armed Forces Organic Law, the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the OSC is now renamed as the National Armed Forces Senior General Staff Authority, and now has been expanded, led by

4214-416: The Spanish Navy also operated naval bases in the Captaincy General's territorial coastline, open to both whites and blacks as well. Already in the early 19th century, many of these Venezuelans who had formed the bulk of the officer corps at the start of the formation of the national armed forces began to arrive in the country after participating in military campaigns abroad in the American Revolutionary War ,

4312-524: The Territorial Guard. The Army, Navy, Air Force and National Guard will serve under the Strategic Operational Command ( Comando Estratégico Operacional ), the National Reserve and the Territorial Guard will serve under the National Reserve and Mobilization Command ( Comando General de la Reserva Nacional y Movilizacion Nacional ), since 2009 now called as the National Militia General Command ( Comando General de la Milicia Nacional ). The Venezuelan Army ( Fuerzas Terrestres or Ejército ),

4410-423: The UNEFA (a military university open to civilians) is located here. Career choices include electronics, aeronautical and civil engineering, and avionics . The main museums are: The Patron Saint is Saint Joseph. The San Sebastian's Walk is a religious catholic event with ecological and sport characteristics, which takes place the 20th of January of each year in the outskirts of the city of Maracay. Maracay has

4508-511: The Venezuelan Air Force, as of July 2015, is Major General Edgar Valentín Cruz Arteaga. The National Guard of Venezuela ( Fuerzas Armadas de Cooperacion or Guardia Nacional ), according to the Constitution of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, is a military corps with police functions. With roughly 23,000 troops, its organized into 9 regional commands (division size) and 24 state level zone commands (brigade sized), with plans to expand that number to fifteen commands. Additionally, there

4606-419: The aim of making the national armed services uniform, modern and technically advanced in this era of the 20th century. The reform coincided with the centennial anniversary of the Venezuelan Declaration of Independence, which contributed to the doctrinal and political cohesion of the army and the navy. The most important milestones of this reform were: In 1910, operation of the Military Academy of Venezuela that

4704-518: The amount is $ 4.508 billion. This amount does not include the additional credit granted by the Russian Federation of $ 4 billion, half of which will be used in fiscal year 2012, and the other half in fiscal year 2013, which would bring the official FY2012 total to $ 6.5 billion. The Bolivarian government increased salaries annually for members of the armed forces with a 505% increase in pay between 1999 and 2014. Maracay Officially established on March 5, 1701 by Bishop Diego de Baños y Sotomayor in

4802-440: The armed forces had 123,000 active personnel and 8,000 reservists. The origin of an organized and professional armed forces in Venezuela dates to the Spanish troops quartered in the former Province of Venezuela in the 18th century. Politically and militarily until the creation of the Captaincy General of Venezuela in 1777, the Province of Venezuela depended on the Real Audiencia of Santo Domingo (in today's Dominican Republic) or

4900-403: The armed forces who were the most important at this stage were Marshal Juan Crisóstomo Falcón , General in Chief Cipriano Castro , Brigadier General Ezequiel Zamora and Manuel Ezequiel Bruzual . Already in the first half of the 20th century, President General in Chief Juan Vicente Gómez , who originally based on the plans of General in Chief Cipriano Castro, began a thorough modernization in

4998-537: The armed services of Venezuela, formed on the basis of the various reserve commands of the National Armed Forces first as the Armed Reserve Forces, then as the National Reserve and Mobilization Command, and from 2008, as the National Bolivarian Militia. Today the General Command of the National Boliviarian Militia is divided into two major commands: 1. The National Reserve Service, consisting of all Venezuelan citizens who are either not in active military service, have completed their military service, or serve voluntarily in

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5096-444: The armed services, but does not create a new army as some historians point out. This modernization was done with the help of instructors and advisers from Chile, France, Italy and Germany. The late Prussian influence did not reach the Venezuelan Army from the Germans, but from the Chilean military instructors in 1910. One of the most important reforms undertaken during the Gómez regime of the National Armed Forces, which began in 1910 with

5194-427: The assistance of the British Crown for the formation of the regular army and navy for the growing republic. And he did made no mistake indeed: the 19th century, ultimately, was dominated by British and Prussian military influences. Once in battle, Bolívar began to develop his own tactics, military strategies and practices, whose legacy remains till this day in the National Armed Forces, and led to victory after victory and

5292-409: The battles of the Venezuelan War of Independence emerged. Among them were Generalissimo Francisco de Miranda , Simón Bolívar (Bolívar's own father had been Colonel of the Militia of Aragua), General in chief Santiago Mariño , Rafael Urdaneta , among many other heroes. With the establishment of an independent captaincy general in the latter half of the 18th century, the Spanish troops quartered in

5390-458: The benefit of the people of Venezuela. According to the Article 3 of the Armed Forces Organic Law, the fundamental mission of the National Bolivarian Armed Forces is to ensure the independence and sovereignty of the nation and ensure the integrity of the geographical territories of the country, by means of military defense, cooperation in the maintenance of internal order and active participation in national development. The President of Venezuela

5488-465: The biggest of those new military allies. The military doctrine of the armed forces today is based on policy laid out by the late Hugo Chávez (President and Commander in Chief from 1999 to 2013). According to Chávez's policy, the military would also follow defense principles of a "people's war of resistance" against the enemies of the republic and to assist in "internal order," as well as participate in government economic development plans and programs for

5586-416: The brigade. The Commanding General of the Presidential Honor Guard Brigade (as of 20 January 2014) is Brigadier General Jesus Rafael Salazar Velasquez. The general directorate of military intelligence ( Dirección General de Inteligencia Militar , DGIM), is the bureau in charge to collect all the strategic intelligence data, and to coordinate the diverse institutions or departments of military intelligence of

5684-442: The colonial military forces supported the coup and the subsequent creation of a junta. That Supreme Junta later appointed Commander Lino de Clemente to be in charge of defense affairs for the Captaincy General, and thus the armed forces began to be formed through their efforts, including the opening of a full military academy in Caracas for the training of officers, later joined by a naval academy in La Guaira for naval officer education

5782-439: The conventional military capabilities of Venezuela. The office of minister is filled by a general or flag officer of the armed forces with the rank of general or admiral in chief (which is the only officer who holds this rank in the armed forces). The president is assisted by the Military High Command of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, which consists of the Minister of Defense, the Chief of Inspectorate General for Defense,

5880-428: The country until his death. The Generation of 1928 was a group of students who led protests in 1928 against Gómez in the capital city of Caracas. Members included Rómulo Betancourt , Jóvito Villalba , Joaquin Gabaldon Marquez , Juan Oropeza , Raúl Leoni , Andrés Eloy Blanco , Miguel Otero Silva , Pedro Sotillo , Isaac J Pardo , Juan Bautista Fuenmayor , Germán Suárez Flamerich , and Gustavo Machado . Gómez

5978-466: The country's wealth ended up in the hands of Gómez and his cronies, and, according to Woddis, Wall Street . Indeed, at the time of his death, he was by far the richest man in the country. While he brought more peace and prosperity than most living Venezuelans had known, it came at the expense of democracy. He held basic civil liberties in disdain, and his secret police were ubiquitous. He also did little for public education (believing that "an ignorant people

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6076-454: The current Article 60 of the Organic Law of the National Armed Forces (LOFAN) as amended in September 2005. It reports to both the President and to the Minister of Defense and is responsible for coordinating the action of military units belonging to the different service branches of the Armed Forces. The Commandant may or may not be also a concurrently serving Minister of Defense in some cases. The newly created military regions are subordinate to

6174-450: The defense forces of the State. Since 1914 Gomez always retained the post of Commanding General of the Army, even when not holding the presidency of the Republic. The power base of support of the regime after 1913, apart from the liberals and nationalists, was the armed forces, which became an essential element of repression to ensure public order and national progress. At this stage the military and political figures more relevant (apart from

6272-492: The duties of national wartime defense. In honor of the reservists' honorable service during 13 April 2002 coup d'état in defense of the presidency, armed forces and the people, that day, which also honors its formal foundation, is celebrated yearly as National Militia Day (until 2009 this was celebrated on 4 February). The commanding general of the National Militia is Major General Manuel Bernal Martínez, Venezuelan Army. The Presidential Honor Guard Brigade  [ es ]

6370-464: The economic crises of the 1980s and the subsequent military coups of the early 1990s. Under the governments of Hugo Chávez and his successor Nicolás Maduro , the armed forces have undergone significant changes, including in its name (from National Armed Forces to National Bolivarian Armed Forces). There has also been a political change in partnerships switching from cooperation with the United States and its allies to expanded cooperations with Russia as

6468-403: The entire history of the armed forces. So jealous of the Venezuelan Army, over the subsequent decades, the armed forces kept a precarious existing French influence, as a balance to the overwhelming American influence in the armed forces. Between the years 1945 and 1952, there was a major program of military equipment purchases almost monopolized by the United States (although other military material

6566-412: The final two battles of the Venezuelan War of Independence, the Battle of Carabobo on 24 June 1821, fought at the very grounds where the tomb is located, where a Guard Mounting ceremony is held daily in the midday hours. And from 2013 onward the Brigade is also charged with mounting the guard at the tomb of the late President Hugo Chávez at Fort Montana in Caracas plus in Bolivar's renovated mausoleum in

6664-499: The five service components of the National Armed Forces and the civil security services, and is commanded by a brigadier general or colonel or equivalent. At the moment, it is a unit of Brigade size. The Brigade provides the honor guard to the President in State Arrival Ceremonies at the Miraflores Palace and to the President in every activity held in the grounds and at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Carabobo Field, Valencia Municipality, Carabobo, in honor of its participation in one of

6762-462: The following year. It could be said that in the first two decades of the 19th century, the nascent Liberation Army and Navy, was in the midst of the intellectual training of their military cadres, in various attempts to unleash the revolutionary war, and trying to build a modern army and navy. In the midst of that task came the generalissimo Francisco de Miranda, and the Liberator Simón Bolívar, who called for immediate action to, once and for all, ensure

6860-412: The full liberation of not just Venezuela, but of northern South America, through battles in both land and sea until the wars ended in 1824. During the second half of the 19th century, a school for officers continued (Military Academy of Mathematics, which was decades in advance of the policy of unification of arms and services of the Spanish military academy, which was in fact after to the Venezuelan one),

6958-423: The general Gómez himself), were General in Chief Eleazar López Contreras (who founded the National Guard in 1937) and Major General Isaías Medina Angarita , both Presidents of the Republic. With Angarita's ouster in 1945, civilians took over the government for the first time since 1922, albeit only briefly, but it was during those times that the Venezuelan Air Force was officially founded. The ouster of Angarita saw

7056-501: The government of Major General Marcos Pérez Jiménez , who led the country as president and Commander in Chief from the early 1950s to 1958 (he was, under LTCOL Carlos Delgado Chalbaud and Germán Suárez Flamerich, the Minister of Defense) and the American influence (cultural, political and military), which started with the 1944 arrival of the first US military mission, became more prominent then in

7154-458: The independence of the nation, achieved through the aforementioned 19 April coup of 1810 and later through the formal enactment of the 1811 Venezuelan Declaration of Independence. Bolívar surprised his military colleagues, when he rejected part of the Napoleonic military assumptions, habits and behaviors, took more British soldiers and those from other nations, and even through third parties requested

7252-667: The main customs office in San Antonio del Táchira ), the first passenger terminal of the intercity bus line were built, the first intercity bus line was called the Venezuelan Airbus or the Venezuelan Airmail Bus. The famous Transandean Highway was also built, a route that starts from Las Adjuntas station (near Caracas Metro Station) and ends at the main land customs office in San Antonio del Táchira. The Venezuelan military

7350-456: The military reserve. 2. The Territorial Guard Component, consisting of all Venezuelan citizens who voluntarily serve to organize local resistance to any external threat to national independence in all levels of society. A third component, the People's Navy Branch, created in 2013, serves as a naval militia component composed of volunteer national servicemen and women contributing to the defense of

7448-517: The military, responsible for suppressing several major revolts against the government in the battle of Ciudad Bolivar on 21 July 1903. Gómez seized power from Castro in a coup d'état on 19 December 1908, while Castro was in Europe for medical treatment. As president, Gómez managed to deflate Venezuela's staggering debt by granting concessions to foreign oil companies after the discovery of petroleum in Lake Maracaibo in 1918. This, in turn, won him

7546-407: The militia battalions raised in the 18th century during the Spanish era, that later formed the basis of the armed forces upon the independence of the nation, and two militiamen from that period, Jose Maria España and Manuel Gual, began the long road towards national independence with their failed revolt of 1797. It was only in the 21st century that the militias were revived this time as a full branch of

7644-540: The most important cities in Venezuela , Maracay is primarily an industrial and commercial center, the city produces paper, textiles, chemicals, tobacco, cement, cattle, processed foods, soap and perfumes. The areas around Maracay are agricultural: sugarcane, tobacco, coffee and cocoa stand out as the main products. There are also cattle-herding and timber-cutting activities. Activity by the Venezuelan Military also adds

7742-724: The nation's maritime waters and coastline. It is itself divided into the Naval Reserve (part of the NRS) and the Workers' Naval Employment Territorial Militias, part of the TGC. At present the National Militia is organized on the basis of nine (09) Reserve brigades, present throughout the national territory, dozens of Special Resistance Corps (grouped around workers contingents of state and private enterprises and federal, state, city and township government institutions) and territorial militia units nationwide, plus

7840-590: The new Sukhoi-30MKEs acquired by the Venezuelan Government. Other military facilities include the Fourth Armored Division of the Army and the airborne training center and barracks of the 42nd Airborne Brigade. It is also home to the government-owned ammunition and weapons factory ( CAVIM ) that produces the Venezuelan version of the FN FAL ( Fusil Automatique Leger - Light Automatic Rifle) rifle and

7938-521: The participation of what is now today the 411th Armored Battalion "General in Chief Juan Francisco Bermudez", whose M3 Stuart light tanks and Jeeps saw action, and which foresaw the beginning of the modernization of the armed services. The second half of the 20th century, was just as turbulent for the entire Venezuelan military, but it was projected into the future as a modern force for the coming years, though not yet cohesive. Already under

8036-664: The petroleum corporations of the United States , United Kingdom , and the Netherlands for the gain of Venezuela . He persevered to preserve precise family members with overseas countries and controlled to cast off all overseas indebtedness. He exercised control over the neighborhood caudillos ("bosses") and the Roman Catholic Church , launched many public works programs, and prepared a 'green' administration. A staunch anticommunist, Gómez viewed both communism and trade unions as

8134-469: The province passed to the direct command of Caracas. The troops in the other provinces of the country, under the command of local governors, were overseen by the Captain General of Caracas, who served as commander in chief of the armed services. In this way a series of autonomous units was created for the peoples of the area and for defense duties, open to all fit males regardless of color. Aside from these

8232-538: 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

8330-412: The ranks of the artillery companies. That same year, a Fixed Caracas Battalion was established. Until the creation of this battalion, defense had been based on small colonial militia companies , which initially only accepted whites. Gradually, this racist policy yielded and the entry of mixed-race people was allowed in the militias. It was from these various units that the bulk of the officers who fought in

8428-415: The service components of National Armed Forces and the National Militia. The chief of the general directorate is Brigadier General Ivan Hernandez Darlan as of 20 January 2014. According to the law of the approved budget for the 2012 Fiscal year, the budget allocated to the defense sector, is US$ 4.959 billion, which represents 6.5% of Venezuela's gross domestic product (GDP). Another source indicates that

8526-694: The support of the United States and Europe and economic stability. Though he used the money to launch an extensive public works program, he also received generous kickbacks, increasing his personal fortune enormously. Because of his contributions to the country's development, the Congress bestowed the title of El Benemérito ("the Meritorious One") on him. In contrast, his opponents, who disdained his brutal tactics at home, referred to him as El Bagre ("the Catfish "),

8624-416: The testicles—until they died. Others became human slime, literally. Gómez was quite capable of choosing one out of every ten by lot, and hanging them— by meathooks through their throats! " (Emphasis in the original.) Former Venezuelan President Rómulo Betancourt said in his book Venezuela: Oil and Politics that "(...) Gomez was something more than a local despot, he was the instrument of foreign control of

8722-442: The valleys of Tocopio and Tapatapa (what is known today as the central valley of Aragua) in northern Venezuela. According to the most accepted explanation, it was named after a local indigenous chief, and refers to the "Maracayo" ( Felis mitis ), a small tiger. Alternative etymologies cite a local aromatic tree called Mara . Maracay experienced rapid growth during Juan Vicente Gómez 's dictatorship (1908–1935). Gómez saw Maracay as

8820-642: The way to the emergence of modern democracy; see Generation of 1928 . He repaid all foreign and internal debt using excess reserves; his fiscal conservatism helped the country get through the Crash of 1929 and the Great Depression , and led to an increase in the value of the bolívar to the point of becoming hard currency . On the other hand, he is considered by some as one of the prominent examples of U.S. economic domination over Latin America . During his reign, most of

8918-521: Was acquired from other countries, mostly NATO countries) plus the military missions sent by that country, and later repeated again in the early years of the decade of the 1970s, albeit in a more balanced way by their countries of origin. At this time, the armed forces were composed of the traditional air force, army, navy and national guard. The armed services made their mark in the 1960s in stopping anti-government actions and even two rebellions from within its very own ranks. The 1970s were also marked with

9016-427: Was established. It was located in Maracay and was inaugurated the first of January of the next year to train the nation's military pilots. In 1923/1930 a new Code of Military law was adopted that superseded all previous military laws and responded to the new political and military situation in the country. This process was accompanied by the modernization of the infrastructure, provision of arms, equipment, uniforms and

9114-478: Was expanded even further to include the People's Guards Command in 2011 and the Anti-extortion and Sequestration Command in 2013, with a Social Action Division in the planning stage as of present. The Commanding General of the National Guard is Major General Nestor Luis Reverol Torres. The Venezuelan militia traces its origins to both the long struggle against Spanish rule by the indigenous peoples of Venezuela and

9212-541: Was generally understood, however, that Gómez continued to hold the real power; he ruled the country from his home in Maracay . He returned to office in 1922, ruling until 22 April 1929. Though he was reelected by Congress, he declined to return to the capital, and Juan Bautista Pérez assumed the presidency, though Gómez remained the final authority in the country. On 13 June 1931, Congress forced Pérez to resign, and elected Gómez president again. This time, he resumed office, ruling

9310-657: Was never married; however, he had two mistresses. The first one was Dionisia Gómez Bello, with whom he had seven children: José Vicente, Josefa, Alí, Flor de María, Graciela, Servilia, and Gonzalo. The second one was Dolores Amelia Nunez Linares' de Cáceres, with whom he had nine children: Juan Vicente, Florencio, Rosa Amelia, Hermenegilda, Cristina, Belén, Berta, Manuel Antonio and Juan Crisóstomo Gómez. Gómez also fathered many other children in brief relationships: at least 64 and possibly as many as 99. He appointed many of his children to public office, sparking charges of nepotism . Gómez did not drink or smoke. Gómez's rule of Venezuela

9408-405: Was organized on the modern basis. Despite being considered a cruel tyrant who killed countless people, his dictatorship always tried to maintain a constitutional and democratic façade, employing short-term puppet presidents like Victorino Márquez Bustillos and Juan Bautista Pérez , and allowing them to rule directly or indirectly through successive constitutional amendments. Gómez was born into

9506-411: Was quoted as saying he needed a lifetime to fulfill his political work. Juan Vicente Gómez International Airport was named for him in 1993. [REDACTED] Media related to Juan Vicente Gómez at Wikimedia Commons National Bolivarian Armed Forces of Venezuela The Bolivarian National Armed Forces ( Spanish : Fuerza Armada Nacional Bolivariana - FANB) of Venezuela are controlled by

9604-671: Was reformed in 1903 started, and within it, the Naval Academy (then called Naval School of Venezuela), establishing the School of Application for Military officers in active service with the aim of upgrading their military expertise. In 1913 the Superior Technical Office responsible for the development of military doctrine, organization and training of the army, was founded. In 1920 the Military Aviation School of Venezuela

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