Венесуэльский флот: история и современность.

The Bolivarian Navy of Venezuela (lang es), 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.

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 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.

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.

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. The ship, carrying civilians, returned to Puerto Rico after the Venezuelan Navy threatened to "open fire" on the humanitarian ship. 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 Resolutes owner, the Coast Guard ship had fired shots 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 Naiguatás 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 Naiguatás 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.

As of 2016, Admiral Orlando Miguel Maneiro Gaspar was the Commanding General of the National Navy.

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

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

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

ClassImageTypeShipsOriginNote Submarine (1; formerly 2) Type 209 Diesel electric S 31 Sábalo (1976)S 32 Caribe (1978) 1,810 tonnes; status of both boats unclear as of 2020 Mini submarine (1) VAS 525 Mini submarine with reversible DC electric motor N/A 100 tonnes+; , a diver transport minisub was in use with the Venezuelan Navy. Frigates (1) Mariscal Sucre class Missile frigates FF 22 Almirante Brion 2,506 tonnes Offshore patrol vessels (3?) Offshore patrol vessels PC 21 GuaiqueríPC 23 YekuanaPC 24 Kariña(PC 22 Warao out of service since 2012 grounding) 2,419 tons Offshore patrol vessels GC 21 GuaicamacutoGC 22 YavireGC 24 Comandante eterno Hugo Chávez (doubtful) (GC 23 Naiguatá sunk on 30 March 2020) Patrol boat (unknown number in operation as of 2024) Págalo class Patrol boat PG 51 PágaloPG 52 Caricare Gavión class Patrol boat PG 401 GaviónPG 402 AlcaPG 403 BernaciaPG 404 ChamánPG 405 CormoránPG 406 ColimboPG 407 FardelaPG 408 SumarelaPG 409 NegrónPG 410 PigargoPG 411 PagazaPG 412 Serreta Peykaap III class missile boatFast patrol craftN/AAmphibious ship and service ships (10) Los Frailes class Service ship T 91 Los FrailesT 92 Los TestigosT 93 Los RoquesT 94 Los Monjes ? Capana class Landing Ship Tank T 61 CapanaT 62 EsequiboT 63 GoajiraT 64 Los Llanos 1 ship non operationalCiudad Bolívar class Supply ship T 81 Ciudad Bolívar ?Bricbarc type Simón Bolívar Training sailboat BE 11 Simón Bolívar ?Punta Brava class Oceanographic ship BO 11 Punta Brava ?

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. One already in service by 2008, plus 1 more completed by 2008. Up to 5 more might be built.