Bolivarian Navy of Venezuela

The Bolivarian Navy of Venezuela (), commonly known as the Venezuelan Navy, is the naval branch of the National Bolivarian Armed Forces of Venezuela.

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 building of the armed forces including the formation of the navy.

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 remained in service until 1951, other sources state 1948 or 1950,Archived copy Battleships.ru ) and were scrapped later.

2000s - 2026s

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 the region since the end of the Cold War.http://wcbstv.com/national/hugo.chavez.venezuela.2.822252.html Additional ships included the anti-submarine warship Admiral Chebanenko, a tug boat, and supply ship.

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 , while in international waters. According to RCGS Resolutes 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 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.

Naval crises with the U.S. Navy

In the fall of 2025, following the 7 August 2025 United States Department of Justice raising the reward for the arrest of Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro to , the United States began a series of escalating activities against the maritime sector of Venezuela, including a number of targeted attacks on Venezuelan vessels carrying cargo toward U.S. waters. On 10 December 2025, the U.S. Coast Guard seized the Venezuelan oil tanker Skipper in international waters, off the Venezuelan coast; but the Bolivarian Navy did not intervene. The vessel was boarded by armed Coast Guard personnel who descended from a helicopter. The operation was executed after a U.S. Federal judge authorized the seizure due to the tankers role in transporting sanctioned oil from Venezuela and Iran.December 10, 2025 - Trump administration updates, CNN, 10 December 2025. Maduro had previously been indicted by a US federal court in 2020 and is accused of narcoterrorism and conspiracy to import cocaine to the United States.

On 16 December 2025, U.S. President Trump announced a complete blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers going into and out of Venezuela.Trump announces 'complete blockade' of sanctioned oil tankers in and out of Venezuela, ABC News, 17 December 2025. No clear statement of what the Bolivarian Navy would do in response followed.

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.Jane's Fighting Ships 2005-2006, p.923

List of current and former ships

ClassImageTypeShipsOriginNote Submarine (2) Type 209 Diesel-electric S-31 Sábalo (1976)S-32 Caribe (1978) 1,810 tonnes. At least one vessel is believed to be operational as of 2025. 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. Frigate (1) Mariscal Sucre class Missile frigates F-22 Almirante Brion 2,506 tonnes Offshore patrol vessel (6) Offshore patrol vessels PC-21 GuaiqueríPC-23 YekuanaPC-24 Kariña(PC-22 Warao out of service since 2012 after grounding incident) 2,419 tons Offshore patrol vessels GC-21 Guaicamacuto GC-22 YavireGC-24 Comandante eterno Hugo Chávez (GC-23 Naiguatá sunk on 30 March 2020) 1,453 tonsGunboat (6) Constitución class Gunboat PC-11 ConstituciónPC-12 FederaciónPC-13 IndependenciaPC-14 LibertadPC-15 PatriaPC-16 Victoria 173 tons. Total of 6 boats in inventory but only 3 speculated to remain in service. Patrol boat (14+) Págalo class Patrol boat PG-51 PágaloPG-52 Caricare Peykaap III-class missile boatFast patrol craftN/AAmphibious ship and service ship (11) 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 reported non-operational. 1 ship damaged.Ciudad Bolívar class Supply ship T-81 Ciudad Bolívar Punta Brava class Oceanographic ship BO-11 Punta Brava Bricbarc type Training sailboat BE-11 Simón Bolívar

Fleet forces and Coast Guard ship organization

Light frigates

One /Mariscal Sucre-class missile frigates class F-22 Almirante Brion, in service 1981

Offshore patrol vessels

Four Spanish-made offshore patrol vessels of the . One ship, PC-22 Warao is out of service. It was taken to Fortaleza, Brazil following a grounding incident in 2012, and subsequently to Rio de Janeiro. PC-21 Guaiquerí, in service as of 2011 Navantia entrega a la Armada venezolana el primer Patrullero Oceánico de Vigilancia Four Spanish-made offshore patrol vessels of the . One ship, GC-23 , was sunk after it rammed a cruise ship in 2020. GC-21 Guaicamacuto, was in service as of 2011. Current operational status unknown.

Amphibious and service ships

Four Capana-class LST. T-61 Capana, into service 1983, . T-64 Los Llanos, into service 1983, was still in service . One Ciudad Bolívar-class supply ship. T-81 Ciudad Bolívar, was in service in 2001 One Bricbarc type/Simón Bolívar training sailboat.Jane's Fighting Ships 2005-2006, p.925 One Almirante Francisco de Miranda-class tugboat

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. Four USCG Point-class patrol boats, . Damen Stan 2606 vessels, built in Venezuela, similar to the United States Coast Guard's , . One already in service by 2008, plus 1 more completed by 2008. Up to 5 more might be built.

Naval aviation assets

Airplanes AircraftOriginTypeVersionsIn serviceNotes CASA C-212 Spain Maritime patrol/transport aircraft C-212-200S43 PatrulleroC-212-400 23 Beechcraft Super King Air United States Transport/liaison aircraft B200B90 1 Cessna 208 Caravan United States Transport aircraft 1 Turbo Commander United States Transport aircraft 1

Helicopters AircraftOriginTypeVersionsIn serviceNotes Mil Mi-17 Russia Assault/transport helicopter Mi-17V-5 6 Bell 206 United States Training light helicopter TH-57A 3 Bell 212 United States Assault/transport helicopter 9

Ranks

Commissioned officer ranks The rank insignia of commissioned officers.

Other ranks The rank insignia of non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel.

Bolivarian Navy of Venezuela

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