Venezuela

Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela

Venezuela is officially the Boliviarian Republic of Venezuela (República Bolivariana de Venezuela). The region was colonized by Spain in 1522, after overcoming the resistance of indigenous people, but the Spanish crown was again forced to defend its colony from 1775 to 1776 when the Makiritare organized a major resistance. Following a series of general uprisings the Venezuelan War of Independence began in 1811 and ended in 1821 after several key battles were won. Venezuela remained part of Gran Colombia, however, until 1830, when a new rebellion proclaimed an independent state.

Between 1859 and 1863, the Federal War was fought between Federalist (conservative) and Centalist (liberal) parties over the monopoly of land and government positions in Venezuela. Hundreds of thousands reputedly died, and the war finally ended with a Federal victory. The nation was involved in several disputes with European nations in 1895, 1902-3, and 1908. Throughout most of the 19th and early 20th centuries, Veneuzela was ruled by dictatorial leaders. Several guerilla movements were organized in the 1960s, but they agreed to lay down their arms after the democratic election of Rafael Caldera, who governed from 1969 to 1973.

The Fuerza Armada Nacional (FAN) are the armed forces of Venezuela, and consist of the Army, Navy, Air Force, National Guard, and the National Militia.

Venezuelan Camouflage Patterns

• The oldest documented Venezuelan camouflage pattern is a leaf design featuring black and off-white leaf shapes over large blotches of dark & light oilve green. The pattern appears to have been introduced in the 1980s and saw service until 1994 with units of the Army and Air Force.

• The Guardia Nacional (National Guard) issued its own vertical tiger stripe camouflage pattern from the 1980s until 1994. This design featured vertical stripes of black, purplish-brown & olive green on a sparse pinkish-grey field.

• In 1994, the Armed Forces discarded their old camouflage patterns in favor of a locally-produced copy of the US m81 woodland design. This remained the standard combat pattern until 2005, when a political decision was made to do away with camouflage uniforms entirely for most units of the FANB and adopt a solid olive green combat uniform. Only selected elite units would continue to use camouflage, including the 42nd Airborne Brigade "Aragua" and the Marine Corps.

• Formed in 2005 by directive of President Hugo Chavez, the National Bolivarian Militia (Milicia Nacional Bolivariana) is an all-volunteer branch of the armed forces that provides a light infantry military reserve, home defense, and security of governmental installations to the nation. The MNB is further divided into the Territorial Militia (Milicia Territorial) - which includes the Rural Militia and are attached to certain regions of the country - and the Combat Corps (Cuerpos Combatientes), which instead have loyalties to certain private companies or national institutions. Circa 2016, the militia adopted a lizard-pattern camouflage uniform, which currently serves alonside a solid tan/khaki uniform.

• Although not strictly part of the armed forces, the Servicio Bolivariano de Inteligencia Nacional (SEBIN) or Bolivarian National Intelligence Service is the primary internal security force in Venezuela, and is directly subordinate to the Vice President of the nation. The agency has a long history of being utilized politically. Special operations elements of SEBIN were initially outfitted in a grey pixelated pattern, dating to around 2015.

• Circa 2018, the Armed Forces began to re-issue a version of the old woodland design to certain formations of the Army, National Guard and Air Force.

• In early 2018 some units of the Servicio Bolivariano de Inteligencia Nacional (SEBIN) started to wear uniforms with the Kryptel Night pattern.

• In January 2019, the Venezuelan Navy began to issue its own camouflage pattern, which combines several shades of grey splinter shapes that fuse into a solid color at a distance.

• The Comando de Guardacostas (Coast Guard Command), which is part of the Venezuelan Navy, started to wear a grey based camouflage UBACS shirt since 2019.

• First appearing in late 2020, a modernized camouflage design utilizing a similar color palette to standard woodland pattern, was adopted by the FANB. The design appears to incorporate organic shapes in black, brown and foliage green on a pale green background, possibly influenced by some of the shapes in Multicam. The design has apparently replaced the solid-color combat uniform previously issued to conventional units.

Camouflage of Venezuelan Police Agencies

• An interesting blue duck hunter pattern was worn during the 1980s by special units of the Policia Nacional (National Police). It is uncertain how long the pattern remained in service, but it was certainly replaced by the 1990s.

• The National Police have issued two different urban camouflage patterns based on the woodland design. The first of these features black, blue grey & periwinkle woodland shapes on a pale blue background.

• The second National Police pattern features black, dark grey & slate grey woodland shapes on a light grey background.

• Although the armed forces ceased to wear camouflage uniforms in 2005, various units of the Cuerpo Policía Nacional Bolivariana (CPNB) have continued to wear a number of camouflage patterns into the present era. One of these, a unique pixelated camouflage pattern for the Dirección de Inteligencia y Estrategia (DIE) of the Fuerzas de Acciones Especiales (FAES), incorporates black, dark grey, and pale blue on a very light grey background. This pattern was first observed in 2017.

• The Brigada Especial Contra los Grupos Generadores de Violencia (Special Brigade Against Violence-Generating Groups) or BEGV started to use the ATACS AU pattern since 2014.

• Another pattern seen with units of the BEGV is this grey-tinted pixel pattern since 2017.

• The Cuerpo de Investigaciones Científicas, Penales y Criminalísticas (Corps of Scientific and Criminal Investigations) or CICPC has been primarily responsible for forensic investigation of crimes in Venezuela since 2001, when it replaced the Cuerpo Tecnico de Policia Judicial. The Brigada de Acciones Especiales (Special Action Brigade) or BAE is the tactical intervention unit within this agency. In 2017 personnel of the BAE started to wear Multicam uniforms.

• The Fuerzas de Acciones Especiales (FAES) of the Bolivian National Police Corps (Cuerpo de Policía Nacional Bolivariana or CPNB) have utilized combat uniforms in the MultiCam Black pattern since at least 2017.

• This blue-tinted digital camouflage design has been observed within some units of the FAES of the National Police.

• A green dominated Mulitcam pattern is also in use within the Brigada de Acciones Especiales (BAE) of the CICPC since 2018.

• This three-color pixelated design consisting of brown and black shapes on an off-white background is also in service with some elements of the CICPC, since 2018.

• Since 2018 the Unidad de Operaciones y Tácticas Especiales (UOTE) which is part of Fuerzas de Acciones Especiales (FAES) of the Bolivian National Police Corps (Cuerpo de Policía Nacional Bolivariana or CPNB) is wearing uniform with the Geo 7 Terrain pattern. This design is manufactured by Veil Camo.

• Also observed in use with elements of the National Police Fuerzas de Acciones Especiales (FAES) since 2018 is the Geo 7 Night pattern, also developed by Veil Camo.

• In 2018 the FAES, including UOTE, introduced the MARPAT woodland pattern for its personnel.

• The BAE of the CICPC have worn a distinctive woodland-type camouflage pattern with unusual shapes since at least 2018.

• Also worn by elements of the BAE is a unique tiger stripe-like pattern from ATACS, the IX design. Use of this design also dates to at least 2018.

• Since early 2019, the División Contra Bandas or Anti-gang Directorate of the CICPC have worn a four color woodland pattern with gray, dark blue, and black shapes on a light gray background.

• in 2019 the Brigada de Respuesta Inmediata (Immediate Response Brigade) or BRI which is part of the CICPC was observed wearing uniforms with the Tiger Stripe pattern.

• Circa 2020, elements of the FAES were observed wearing a green-dominant pixelated camouflage pattern similar to that formerly worn by the Chinese Armed Police Force (CAPF). A close comparison reveals the two designs are probably not precisely the same.

• Elements of the FAES, including UOTE, were observed wearing a three-color brown dominant pixelated uniform in 2020.

• A green dominant four-color pixelated uniform was observed within FAES units in 2020.

Camouflage of Venezuelan non-Law Enforcement Agencies

• The Fundación Misión Negra Hipólita (FMNH) is a non-profit social aid mission and government foundation that operates closely with police and public health workers. Beginning in 2017, members of the Unidad de Captación (Collection Unit) section of the FMNH were observed wearing three-color blueish gray woodland trousers. It is unknown whether jackets or shirts also exist in this pattern.