Armed Forces of Bolivia

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Armed Forces of Bolivia
Fuerzas Armadas de Bolivia
Flag of Bolivia (military).svg
MottoSubordinacion y Constancia, ¡Viva Bolivia! (Subordination and Steadfastness. Long Live Bolivia!)
Founded7 August 1826;197 years ago (1826-08-07)
Service branchesFlag of Bolivia (military).svg  Bolivian Army
Naval Ensign of Bolivia.svg  Bolivian Naval Force
Flag of Bolivia (military).svg  Bolivian Air Force
Leadership
Captain General of the Armed Forces Luis Arce (President of Bolivia)
Minister of Defense Edmundo Novillo
Commander in Chief of the Armed ForcesCésar Moisés Vallejos Rocha
Personnel
Military age18
Available for
military service
1,949,267, age 15–49 (2000 est.)
Fit for
military service
1,269,228, age 15–49 (2000 est.)
Reaching military
age annually
86,863 (2000 est.)
Active personnel40.000 to 70.000 (est.)
Reserve personnel40.000 (est.)
Expenditures
Budget$659.2 million (2017)
Percent of GDP1.76% (2017)
Industry
Foreign suppliersFlag of Argentina.svg Argentina
Flag of Austria (state).svg Austria
Flag of Brazil.svg Brazil
Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg China
Flag of Mexico.svg Mexico
Flag of North Korea.svg North Korea
Flag of Peru (state).svg Peru
Flag of Russia.svg Russia
Flag of Turkey.svg Turkey
Flag of the United States.svg United States
Flag of Venezuela (state).svg Venezuela
Flag of Iran.svg Iran
Related articles
History History of Bolivia
Ranks Military ranks of Bolivia

The Bolivian Armed Forces (Spanish: Fuerzas Armadas de Bolivia) are the military of Bolivia. The Armed Forces of Bolivia are responsible for the defence, both of external and internal, of Bolivia and they are constituted by Bolivian Army, the Bolivian Air Force and the Bolivian Navy. All these institutions depend on the Ministry of Defence of this country.

Contents

In addition to the Bolivian Army, the Bolivian Air Force and the Bolivian Navy, the Bolivian National Police, although dependent on the Ministry of Government in times of peace, is part of the reserves of the Armed Forces according to the Organic Law of the Armed Forces of this nation, [1] together with other reserve bodies such as the SAR-FAB emergency and rescue units.

Figures on the size and composition of the armed forces of Bolivia vary considerably, with rare official data available. It is estimated, however, that the three main forces (army, navy and air force) add up to a total of between 40,000 [2] to 70,000 [3] [4] [5] troops, while the Bolivian police would be around 40,000 [6] [7] troops.

High Command of the Armed Forces of Bolivia

The roles and tenure of the High Command are described in the Organic Law of the Armed Forces (LOFA) [1] which states that the hierarchy is subordinate to and appointed by the President of Bolivia with the Minister of Defense acting as an intermediary between the President and the Armed Forces. Article 172 of the 2009 Constitution states that amongst the President's duties are "To designate and substitute the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces and the Commanders of the Army, the Air Force and the Navy." [8]

The current positions, appointed by interim president Jeanine Áñez Chávez on 13 Nov 2019 [9] are as follows:

Article 100 of the LOFA also states that these positions, and several others such as Chief of Police and Head of the Presidential, may be held "only once during the military career and for a time no greater than two years". [1] [10] This results in a fairly high turnover in the Bolivian High Command with continued service being prohibited by law. The last changes in High Command, under the previous President Evo Morales, occurred on 24 Dec 2018, [11] 11 Dec 2017, [12] 29 Dec 2016, [13] 30 Dec 2015, [14] 18 Dec 2014, [15] 13 Dec 2013 [10] and 3 Dec 2012. [16]

Attempts to increase the maximum length of service for members of the High Command (and other positions) were made, unsuccessfully, under the Morales administration who wished to increase it to between 3 and 5 years. [17]

Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces

No.PortraitName
(birth–death)
Term of officeDefence branchRef.
Took officeLeft officeTime in office
General
Víctor Guzmán Bruno
14 August 199120 August 19921 year, 6 daysFlag of Bolivia (military).svg  Bolivian Air Force [18]
General
Oscar Vargas Lorenzetti
20 August 199215 December 19942 years, 117 daysFlag of Bolivia (military).svg  Bolivian Army [19]
General
Reynaldo Cáceres Quiroga
15 December 19941 November 19961 year, 322 daysFlag of Bolivia (military).svg  Bolivian Army [20]
General
Hernán Aguilera Bianchi
1 November 199614 November 19982 years, 13 daysFlag of Bolivia (military).svg  Bolivian Army [21]
Admiral
Jorge Zabala Ossio
14 November 199824 November 20002 years, 10 daysNaval Ensign of Bolivia.svg  Bolivian Naval Force [22]
General
Alvin Anaya Kippes
24 November 20008 August 20021 year, 257 daysFlag of Bolivia (military).svg  Bolivian Army [23]
Divisional general
Roberto Claros Flores
Acting
8 August 200224 November 20031 year, 108 daysFlag of Bolivia (military).svg  Bolivian Air Force [24]
Admiral
Luis Alberto Aranda Granados  [ eo ]
24 November 200314 June 20051 year, 202 daysNaval Ensign of Bolivia.svg  Bolivian Naval Force [25]
Admiral
Marco Antonio Justiniano Escalante
14 June 200524 January 2006224 daysNaval Ensign of Bolivia.svg  Bolivian Naval Force [26]
Admiral
José Luis Cabás Villegas
Acting
5 January 200924 January 20101 year, 19 daysNaval Ensign of Bolivia.svg  Bolivian Naval Force [27] [28]
General
Carlos Ramiro de La Fuente Bloch
24 January 201022 March 20111 year, 57 daysFlag of Bolivia (military).svg  Bolivian Army [29]
Admiral
Armando Pacheco Gutiérrez
22 March 20115 January 2012289 daysNaval Ensign of Bolivia.svg  Bolivian Naval Force [30]
General
Tito Roger Gandarillas
5 January 20123 December 2012333 daysFlag of Bolivia (military).svg  Bolivian Air Force [31]
General
Edwin de la Fuente
3 December 201214 December 20131 year, 11 daysFlag of Bolivia (military).svg  Bolivian Army [32]
Admiral
Víctor Baldivieso Haché
14 December 201322 December 20141 year, 8 daysNaval Ensign of Bolivia.svg  Bolivian Naval Force [33]
General
Omar Jaime Salinas Ortuño
22 December 201430 December 20151 year, 8 daysFlag of Bolivia (military).svg  Bolivian Army [34]
General
Juan Gonzalo Durán Flores
30 December 201529 December 2016365 daysFlag of Bolivia (military).svg  Bolivian Air Force [35]
General
Luis Orlando Ariñez Bazán
29 December 201611 December 2017347 daysFlag of Bolivia (military).svg  Bolivian Army [36]
Admiral
Yamil Octavio Borda Sosa
11 December 201724 November 2018348 daysNaval Ensign of Bolivia.svg  Bolivian Naval Force [37]
General
Williams Kaliman
(born 1963)
24 November 201813 November 2019354 daysFlag of Bolivia (military).svg  Bolivian Army [38]
General
Carlos Orellana Centellas
13 November 2019Incumbent4 years, 25 daysFlag of Bolivia (military).svg  Bolivian Army [39]

Army

Coat of Arms of the Bolivian Army Logo del Ejercito de Bolivia..jpg
Coat of Arms of the Bolivian Army
See full article: Bolivian Army.

The Bolivian Army (Ejército de Bolivia, EB) is the land branch of the armed forces of Bolivia. Together with the Bolivia army and air force Bolivia, is responsible for protecting Bolivia of internal, external threats and ensure the independence of this country. The Bolivian Army has around 55,500 men. There are six military regions (regiones militares—RMs) in the army. The Army is organized into ten divisions. The Army maintains a small fleet of utility aircraft, primarily to support headquarters.

Combat units directly under the Army general command

Special forces command

The Special Forces command controls the following units:

  • 12th Ranger Regt. "MANCHEGO", Montero
  • 16th Infantry Regt. JORDAN, Riberalta (Special Forces)
  • 18th Parachute Infantry Regiment VICTORIA "Army Special Troops Training Center", Cochabamba
  • 24th Ranger Regiment (Mountain) MÉNDEZ ARCOS, Challapata

Army aviation command

Army aviation company 291 (La Paz), army aviation company 292 (Santa Cruz)

  • 291st Cavalry Group (La Paz)

Regional

The Bolivian Army has six military regions (regiones militares—RMs) covering the various Departments of Bolivia:

Army divisions

The army is organized into ten territorial divisions plus a mechanized division, each of which, with the exception of Viacha, occupy a region generally corresponding to the administrative departments, with some overlapping. These and their respective divisional headquarters and constituent units are:

RI: infantry regiment RC: cavalry regiment RA: artillery regiment Bat.Ing.: battalion engineer

Army organized has ten divisions controlling the following units:

Bolivian Snipers Dragunov SVD. Francotiradores bolivianos de la Armada, Tierra y montana.jpg
Bolivian Snipers Dragunov SVD.

The Army maintains a small fleet of utility aircraft, primarily to support headquarters.

Notes

A. ^ In the Armed Forces, the title Marshal is a military distinction granted to generals for exceptional achievements and it is used to denote a senior military leader. Unlike other military titles named "marshal", it is not a military rank. There were only four others in the history of Bolivia: Andrés de Santa Cruz, Marshal of Zepita; Bernardino Bilbao Rioja, Marshal of Kilometer 7; José Ballivián, Marshal of Ingavi; Otto Philipp Braun, Marshal of Montenegro.

Equipment of the Army

Land equipment

SK105 Kurassier Tank of Bolivia. SK105 Kurassier de Bolivia.jpg
SK105 Kürassier Tank of Bolivia.
7.5 cm FK 18 before a parade in Cochabamba. Artilleria en Cochabamba 085.jpg
7.5 cm FK 18 before a parade in Cochabamba.
EE-9 Cascavel of Bolivia. EE-9 Cascavel de Bolivia.jpg
EE-9 Cascavel of Bolivia.
Bolivian army equipment [40] [ unreliable source ]
Tanks 54 SK-105 Kürassiers
Reconnaissance vehicles 24 EE-9 Cascavel
Armoured Personnel Carriers 50 M113 armored personnel carriers with local upgrades, 24 EE-11 Urutu APC,24 M9 Half-track APC, 15 Cadillac Gage Commando V-150, 20 Mowag Roland local upgraded (Used by the military Police)
Artillery pieces and mortar 18 Type 54 122mm howitzers, 6 M101 105mm howitzers, 10 7.5 cm FK 18 howitzers, 6 Bofors 75 mm Model 1934 75mm howitzers. Mortars: M-120 120mm, M30 107mm mortars, 250 M29 81mm mortars,FM 81mm,W87 81mm, M-224 60mm mortars AA artillery: 16 2×37mm Type 65, 80 2×20mm Oerlikon 20 mm cannon K20, 50 MANPAD HN-5 AT weapons:rocket launchers RPG-7, 200 66mm M72A3 LAW, 90mm M20A1, 90mm M67 recoilless rifle, RCL 82mm Type 65/78, RCL 106mm M40A1,40 portable AT missile HJ-8AiB Red Arow
TransportTRANSPORT:DongFeng EQ 2081/2100,FEW C A1122J,Stayer 1491,16 Ford F-750,Unimog 416Dodge M-37 212 ton trucks, Engesa EE-15 trucks, Engesa EE-25 trucks, FIAT IVECO 619 5 ton trucksTACTICAL TRANSPORT VEHICLES:30 M988 HMMWV,40 Koyak local productionUTILITY TRANSPORT VEHICLES:Ford M151 jeep,CJ-5,CJ-7,Chrysler jeep Wrangler,BJ 2020VJ, horses (still used by the Bolivian cavalry units) [40] [ unreliable source ]
Small Arms HANDGUNS: FN-35,Glock 17, Beretta Model 92F, SM Model 10 (all 9mm)[Source?], M1911A1 11,43 SMG: FMK 3, UZI, MAT 49 (all 9mm)Rifle: Galil AR, M16A1, M4A1, Steyr AUG A1, SA 80, all (5.56 mm), FN-FAL, SIG-542, SIG-510-4, (all 7.62mm), Type 56–2(ak-47),SNIPER: Dragunov SVD, Mauser model 86SR, Steyr SSG-69P1AM Rifles:Steyr HS 50 12.7mmMG: M60, FN-MAG 60–20, SIG MG710-3 (all 7.62mm), Type 56 LMGGL:Type 87 35mm, MM−1, M79, M203 (all 40mm) Shotguns: Remington 870 and 11–87.

Air equipment

AircraftOriginFunctionVersionsIn service [41] Notes
Robinson R44 Flag of the United States.svg  United States TrainerR441
Beechcraft King Air Flag of the United States.svg  United States Utility, VIPC901
Fokker F27 Friendship Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands TransportF27-MK2001
Harbin Z-9 Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  China Utility helicopterH4256

Uniforms

A Bolivian Army soldier armed with a 7.62mm FN FAL rifle stands guard during Fuerzas Unidas Bolivia, a joint U.S. and Bolivian training exercise in April 1986. Bolivian soldier armed with a FN FAL stands guard during Fuerzas Unidas Bolivia.jpg
A Bolivian Army soldier armed with a 7.62mm FN FAL rifle stands guard during Fuerzas Unidas Bolivia, a joint U.S. and Bolivian training exercise in April 1986.

Army officers, NCOs, and enlisted personnel generally wear gray or, for tropical areas, gray-green service uniforms. Army fatigue uniforms are olive green, and combat uniforms are of US woodland pattern camouflage. The standard headgear for enlisted personnel is the beret bearing the national colors of red, yellow and green. Paratroops (paracaidistas) were distinguished by black berets, and Special Forces by green berets.

Air Force

Coat of arms of the Bolivian Air Force Escudo de armas o emblema de la FAB.JPG
Coat of arms of the Bolivian Air Force
See full article: Bolivian Air Force.

The Bolivian air force (Fuerza Aérea Boliviana, FAB) is the air branch of the armed forces of Bolivia. The Bolivian Air Force has nine air bases, located at La Paz, Cochabamba, Santa Cruz, Puerto Suárez, Tarija, Villamontes, Cobija, Riberalta, and Roboré.

Major commands included the following:

K-8VB karakorum of the FAB K8 Fuerza Aerea de Bolivia.jpg
K-8VB karakorum of the FAB

Units under direct control of the general command of the FAB

  • Tactical air group 62 (air base Riberalta): squadron 620
  • Air group 64: squadron (air base Cobija) 640
  • Transport air group 72 (air base Trinidad) : squadron 720
Coat of arms of the Bolivian Navy Estandarte de la Armada Boliviana.png
Coat of arms of the Bolivian Navy
See full article: Bolivian Naval Force.

The Bolivian Naval Force (Fuerza Naval Boliviana in Spanish), formerly Bolivian Navy (Armada Boliviana) is a naval force about 5,000 strong in 2008. [42] Although Bolivia has been landlocked since the War of the Pacific in 1879, Bolivia established a River and Lake Force (Fuerza Fluvial y Lacustre) in January 1963 under the Ministry of National Defense. It consisted of four boats supplied from the United States and 1,800 personnel recruited largely from the army. Bolivia's naval force was renamed the Bolivian Naval Force (Fuerza Naval Boliviana) in January 1966, but it also has been called the Bolivian Navy (Armada Boliviana). It became a separate branch of the armed forces in 1963. Bolivia has large rivers that are tributaries to the Amazon which are patrolled to prevent smuggling and drug trafficking. There is also a Bolivian Naval presence on Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable lake in the world, across which runs along the Peruvian frontier.

Naval Ensign of Bolivia Naval Ensign of Bolivia.svg
Naval Ensign of Bolivia

Landlocked Bolivia has not become reconciled with the loss of its coast to Chile, and the Navy exists to keep the hope of recovering its coast alive by cultivating a maritime consciousness. [42] The Bolivian Navy takes part in many parades and government functions, but none more so than the Día Del Mar (Day of the Sea) in which Bolivia, every year, asks for the coast territories lost to Chile during the War of the Pacific (fought between Peru and Bolivia against Chile) from 1879 to 1884. This is still a sore point for Bolivia, influencing many modern-day political actions and trade decisions. [43]

Districts

The Navy is organized into ten naval districts, with flotilla headquarters in Guaqui, Guayaramerín, Puerto Suárez, Riberalta, and San Pedro de Tiquina, and bases in Puerto Busch, Puerto Horquilla, Puerto Villarroel, Trinidad, and Rurrenabaque.

Naval vessels include several dozen boats, dozen or more of which are for riverine patrol, including the piranias, and riders, which are powerful river boats. In addition, Bolivia has several seagoing vessels, including the Santa Cruz de la Sierra (PR-51), and several flagged ships that sail with the permission of the "Capitanias Navales" Naval Registration Office. The Libertador Simón Bolívar, a ship acquired from Venezuela, use to navigate from its home port in Rosario, Argentina on the River Paraná. In 1993, the Navy was formally renamed the Naval Force (Fuerza Naval) and moved with the Bolivian Army under a single military authority.

Most of the officers are often educated in the Naval Academy where they graduate with a BS in Military and Naval Science, diploma accredited by the Military University and then they do other studies at the bachelor's degree and master's level. Argentina has their Naval Military Group in Bolivia advising at the highest level in naval strategy and tactics. Many Bolivian officers practice ocean sailing in Argentinean big naval ships. The Bolivian Navy has several Special Forces units to address both internal and external conflicts.

Marines of Bolivia marching in Cochabamba. Marines de Bolivia desfilando.jpg
Marines of Bolivia marching in Cochabamba.

The Bolivian Naval Force covers the extensive river and lake Bolivian territory divided between the following functions Naval Districts, note that the names of these units are derived from the basin or region where they operate:

Marine corps

Bolivian Marines above inflatable boats. Infanteria de marina boliviana encima de lanchas inflables.jpg
Bolivian Marines above inflatable boats.

The Marine component of the FNB originated with the creation of the Marine Battalion Almirante Grau in the early 1980s. This unit of 600 men is based on Tiquina naval base on Lake Titicaca. Later changes name to Marine Battalion Independence, based in Chua (Not to be confused with the Independence RI17 EB).At present this battalion maintains a similar number of troops including premilitares. Staff of this unit is part of Task Force Blue Devils or are stationed in various naval bases. There are currently seven infantry battalions which are distributed as follows:

  • Primer Distrito Naval "BENI"- First Naval District "BENI"
    • Batallón de Infantería de Marina I "Bagué"- 1st Marine Battalion "Bagué"
  • Segundo Distrito Naval "MAMORE"- Second Naval District "MAMORA"
    • Batallón de Infantería de Marina II "Tocopilla"- 2nd Marine Battalion "Tocopilla"
  • Tercer Distrito Naval "MADERA"- Third Naval District "MADERA"
    • Batallón de Infantería de Marina III "Mejillones"- Marine Battalion III "Mejillones"
  • Cuarto Distrito Naval "TITICACA"- Fourth Naval District Titicaca
    • Batallón de Infantería de Marina IV "Alianza " -Marine Infantry Battalion IV "Alliance"
    • Batallón de Infantería de Marina Mecanizada VI "Independencia"- Marine Infantry Battalion Mechanized VI "Independence"
  • Quinto Distrito Naval "SANTA CRUZ DE LA SIERRA"- Fifth Naval District "SANTA CRUZ DE LA SIERRA"
    • Batallón de Infantería de Marina V "Calama"- Marine Battalion V Calama
  • Sexto Distrito Naval "COBIJA"- Sixth Naval District "COBIJA"
    • Batallón de Infantería de Marina VII "Columna Porvenir"- Marine Battalion VII "Columna Porvenir"

This specialty is essentially similar to its counterpart in the Army, carrying out operations such as Important Persons Protection (IPP) Physical Security (SEF) or Patrol Facility (PAT), with additions such as signals or naval protocol. There Naval detachments of PM in all district headquarters or FNB Naval Area. But only have the following units at the Battalion:

  • AN 4 " La Paz "- AN 4 "La Paz"
    • Batallón de Policía Militar Naval N° 1- 1st Naval Military Police Battalion
  • AN 1 "COCHABAMBA"- AN 1 "Cochabamba"
    • Batallón de Policia Militar Naval N° 2 "Carcaje"- 2nd Naval Military Police Battalion "Quiver"
  • AN 2 "SANTA CRUZ"- AN 2 "SANTA CRUZ"
  • Batallón de Policía Militar Naval N° 3 -Naval Military Police Battalion No. 3
  • Cuarto Distrito Naval "TITICACA"- Fourth Naval District Titicaca
    • Batallón de Policía Militar Naval N° 4- Naval Military Police Battalion No. 4

Strength

Boats

The Bolivian Navy has a total of 173 vessels, mostly stationed on Lake Titicaca:

  • PATROL:
  • 1 Class PR-51
  • 6 class boats Cap. Bretel Bretel
  • 4 patrol boats lake
  • 32 Boston Whaler
  • UNITS SALVAGE:
  • 8 Piranha assault boats Mk.1
  • 3 Boats hospitals
  • 2 Transport of hydrocarbons
  • 2 Tanker Ships
  • 1 Transport
  • 1 Ship "Naval School" [ citation needed ]

Bolivia's navy operates one utility aircraft for the use of headquarters.

AircraftOriginTypeVersionsIn service [41] Notes
Cessna 340 Flag of the United States.svg United StatesUtility3401

Conscription

Since 1904 military service has been compulsory for all fit males between the ages of eighteen and forty-nine. In practice, however, budgetary limitations strictly limited the number of eligible men conscripted, and those traditionally tended to be mostly Indians. Beginning in 1967, conscripts were legally held on active duty for up to two years, but funds seldom permitted even a full year's service. Noncommissioned officers (NCOs) and warrant officers, all of whom were volunteers, generally were drawn from mixed-blood cholos (those of Spanish and Indian descent). In the late 1980s, the service obligation was one year, and conscripts had to be at least nineteen years of age. The FF.AA. commander reported in early 1989 that the largest percentage of conscripts came from the middle class. One explanation for this change could have been the flocking of youths to the lucrative coca paste-making business. Military authorities in the Cochabamba area in particular began to experience growing difficulty in enlisting volunteers in the mid-1980s. Consequently, the military reportedly was resorting to pressganging eighteen-year-olds off the city streets to fill their annual quotas.

Training installations

Training installations include the Garras International Antinarcotics Training School (Escuela Garras del Valor) is a military training facility located in Bolivia, which trains military and law enforcement personnel from Bolivia and other Latin American countries[ citation needed ] in counternarcotics, intelligence, and counterinsurgency techniques. [44] [45] [46]

See also

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Luis Fernando López Julio is a Bolivian businessman, retired military officer, and politician who served as minister of defense from 2019 to 2020. Appointed in the tail end of the 2019 political crisis, López, along with Minister of Government Arturo Murillo, quickly became characterized as the "strong men" of the Jeanine Áñez administration and were implicated in the deadly events at Senkata and Sacaba. López was called to hearings by the Plurinational Legislative Assembly but failed to present himself three consecutive times, ultimately resulting in his censure by the legislature. As per the terms of the Constitution, he was dismissed as minister but, exploiting a loophole in the document's text, he was reappointed just a day later. Soon after, reports revealed his participation in the tear gas case, which accused the ministries of government and defense of irregularly purchasing non-lethal weapons at inflated prices.

Route 7 is a national road in the South American Andean state of Bolivia.

References

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