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A new law approved in July 2008 changed the military ranks of Venezuela, principally with regard to names, functions and commanding regulation of the armed forces. The law was sanctioned by Venezuela's National Assembly.
The main changes are for the General Officer Ranks, with the incorporation of the “Comandante en Jefe” rank, the upgrading of the “General en Jefe/Almirante en Jefe” Rank to that of a full 4-star general/flag officer rank, and the creation of the “Mayor General/Almirante” Rank.
Throughout Venezuelan Military history, the ranks system has been notably complex and quite different from other armies in Latin America and NATO. It has 3 types of Non-Commissioned Officers: Technical NCO's and Warrant Officers, Professional NCO's, and Enlisted NCO's – the largest in any military force worldwide.
Historically the Venezuelan system of ranks and insignia was based on Prussian patterns, just as is currently the case in the Chilean and Ecuadorian army. However, currently Prussian-style insignia are preserved only in the ceremonial full dress uniform (not displayed below), [1] while for everyday use a system with simpler patterns was introduced. Only the Army and National Guard use the Prussian pattern in the ceremonial uniforms, while these services also have Prussian pattern epaulettes worn by select officers in command billets.
The Navy's rank insignia for officers follow the British pattern on the sleeve with the use of the executive curl due to the strong British influence.
The office of the Venezuelan military supreme commander has always been held by the President of Venezuela as per constitutional requirements, however with the new law sanctioned in 2008, the “Comandante en Jefe” is not only a function and an appointment attributed to the executive branch, but is now set to be a military rank equivalent to a five-star general or a field marshal. Anybody who gets elected President of Venezuela is automatically made a full general of the National Armed Forces and may be granted full military uniform, but he may wear it or not depending on the circumstances.
Hugo Chávez left the Army as a lieutenant colonel in 1992, but when he became president he adopted the uniform of "Commander in Chief", with distinctive shoulder badge and sleeve and epaulet insignia and carried a saber similar to Simon Bolivar's in military events. During the Nicolas Maduro administration however, the rank insignia and epaulet (as well as the saber) were not worn by him during major military events, instead preferring to wear civilian dress or suits during formal events (with the national flag sash and the presidential medal). He wore a version of the "Commander in Chief" uniform for the first time on February 19, 2020, during a meeting with senior military leaders. [2]
This rank holds the direct operational control and command over all armed forces, and is held while he is in the presidential office.
The position is a copy of the one used by Fidel Castro in Cuba, and the design of the shoulder patch are very similar, but not in the shoulder board and epaulet on the dress uniform since Venezuelan military ranks are inspired by German (especially Prussian) military influence, and thus is similar to a Marshal of the German Democratic Republic but with a dark red star inside.
The rank insignia of commissioned officers.
Rank group | General / flag officers | Senior officers | Junior officers | |||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Venezuelan Army [3] [4] [5] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
General en jefe | Mayor general | General de division | General de brigada | Coronel | Teniente coronel | Mayor | Capitán | Primer teniente | Teniente | |||||||||||||||
Bolivarian Navy of Venezuela [3] [4] [5] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Almirante en jefe | Almirante | Vicealmirante | Contraalmirante | Capitán de navío | Capitán de fragata | Capitán de corbeta | Teniente de navío | Teniente de fragata | Alferez de navío | |||||||||||||||
Venezuelan Air Force [6] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
General en jefe | Mayor general | General de division | General de brigada | Coronel | Teniente coronel | Mayor | Capitán | Primer teniente | Teniente | |||||||||||||||
Rank group | General / flag officers | Senior officers | Junior officers | |||||||||||||||||||||
In the 5 military schools of Venezuela, special military ranks are used by officer candidates and aspirants, with Cadet as the lowest rank, and with the highest ranks of Ensign or Midshipman depending on the service academy save for the Military Technical Academy, Military Medical Academy and Troop Officers Military College whose cadets come from all the service branches, and are ranked as per their service academies.
Rank insignia for the cadets of the service academies are both on the shoulders and on the sleeves of all uniforms save for the combat uniform. Military high schools share the same insignia but use different ranks.
These were, until their transformation into the technical officers corps in 2009, technical high-ranking non-commissioned personnel and warrant officers, with a technical and professional degree, which are usually assigned to technical positions inside the National Armed Forces and as warrant officers in the different service arms. While the insignia for the ground and air forces and the National Guard and Militia (featured here) are both on the shoulders and collars, naval insignia are also used on the sleeve.
Warrant officers | Senior non-commissioned officers | ||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Venezuelan Army | |||||||||||||
Maestro Técnico Supervisor | Maestro Técnico Mayor | Maestro Técnico De Primera | Maestro Técnico De Segunda | Maestro Técnico De Tercera | Sargento Técnico de Primera | Sargento Técnico de Segunda | Sargento Técnico de Tercera | ||||||
Bolivarian Navy of Venezuela | |||||||||||||
Maestro Técnico Supervisor | Maestro Técnico Mayor | Maestre Técnico Principal | Maestre Auxiliar | Maestre Técnico | Maestre de Primera | Maestre de Segunda | Maestre de Tercera | ||||||
Venezuelan Air Force | |||||||||||||
Maestro Técnico Supervisor | Maestro Técnico Mayor | Maestro Técnico De Primera | Maestro Técnico De Segunda | Maestre Técnico De Tercera | Sargento Técnico de Primera | Sargento Técnico de Segunda | Sargento Técnico de Tercera |
The rank insignia of non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel.
Rank group | Senior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Enlisted | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Venezuelan Army [7] | No insignia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sargento supervisor | Sargento ayudante | Sargento mayor de primera | Sargento mayor de segunda | Sargento mayor de tercera | Sargento primero | Sargento segundo | Cabo primero | Cabo segundo | Distinguido | Soldado raso | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Bolivarian Navy of Venezuela [7] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sargento supervisor | Sargento ayudante | Sargento mayor de primera | Sargento mayor de segunda | Sargento mayor de tercera | Sargento primero | Sargento segundo | Cabo primero | Cabo segundo | Distinguido | Marinero raso | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Venezuelan Air Force [6] | No insignia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sargento supervisor | Sargento ayudante | Sargento mayor de primera | Sargento mayor de segunda | Sargento mayor de tercera | Sargento primero | Sargento segundo | Cabo primero | Cabo segundo | Distinguido | Aviador | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Venezuelan National Guard | No insignia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sargento supervisor | Sargento ayudante | Sargento mayor de primera | Sargento mayor de segunda | Sargento mayor de tercera | Sargento primero | Sargento segundo | Cabo primero | Cabo segundo | Distinguido | Guardia Nacional raso | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Bolivarian Militia of Venezuela (Ground element) | No insignia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sargento supervisor | Sargento ayudante | Sargento mayor de primera | Sargento mayor de segunda | Sargento mayor de tercera | Sargento primero | Sargento segundo | Cabo primero | Cabo segundo | Distinguido | Miliciano | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Bolivarian Militia of Venezuela (People's Navy) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sargento supervisor | Sargento ayudante | Sargento mayor de primera | Sargento mayor de segunda | Sargento mayor de tercera | Sargento primero | Sargento segundo | Cabo primero | Cabo segundo | Distinguido | Miliciano Marina Popular | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rank group | Senior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Enlisted |
Major is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators, major is one rank above captain in armies and air forces, and one rank below lieutenant colonel. It is considered the most junior of the senior officer ranks.
Brigadier general or brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000 troops.
Counter admiral is a rank found in many navies of the world, but no longer used in English-speaking countries, where the equivalent rank is rear admiral. The term derives from the French contre-amiral. Depending on the country, it is either a one-star or two-star rank.
Divisional general is a general officer rank who commands an army division. The rank originates from the French Revolutionary System, and is used by a number of countries. The rank is above a brigade general, and normally below an army corps general.
Frigate lieutenant is a naval rank in the naval forces of several countries.
The military ranks of the Colombian armed forces consist of the list and ordering of the different military ranks, for the Officers, Non-commissioned officers (NCOs) and soldiers, seamen and airmen of the Military Forces of Colombia. The ranks are visually represented by insignias placed on the uniforms, usually at the shoulders, sleeves and shirt collars.
Corporal first class is a military rank in use by many militaries and is usually a non-commissioned officer.
The Military ranks of Nicaragua are the military insignia used by the Nicaraguan Armed Forces.
Rank comparison chart of all armies and land forces of North and South American states.
Rank comparison chart of air forces of North and South American states.
Rank comparison chart of navies of North and South American states.
Rank comparison chart of navies of North and South American states.
Rank comparison chart of armies/ land forces of North and South American states.
Rank comparison chart of Non-commissioned officer and enlisted ranks for air forces of North and South American states.
Rank comparison chart of officers for armies/land forces of Hispanophone states.
Rank comparison chart of Non-commissioned officer and enlisted ranks for navies of Hispanophone states.
Rank comparison chart of Non-commissioned officer and enlisted ranks for air forces of Hispanophone states.
Rank comparison chart of officers for air forces of Hispanophone states.
Rank comparison chart of officers for navies of Hispanophone states.
The military ranks and insignia of Chile are the military insignia used by the Chilean Armed Forces.