VENEZUELA
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Venezuela
was discovered by Columbus in 1498. It
received its name from Alonso de Hojeda, one of the members of the crew of the
expedition of Columbus. The name means ‘Little Venice’ because of the
resemblance of Maracaibo Bay with the Gulf of Venice. Caracas was founded in
1567. After
some failed attempts to colonize the country, the province of Venezuela
became a part of the Vice-royalty of New Granada. A Captaincy of Venezuela
was founded in 1777. In 1810
seven provinces rebelled against the Spanish administration and on 19 April
1810 they proclaimed their autonomy in Caracas. Somewhat more than a year
later independence was proclaimed on 5 July 1811. In Februari of the next
year a coat of arms was adopted by the republican government which however,
due to the lasting war of independence, could not be taken into use. For that
reason we have a description of it but not a picture. On 17
December 1819 the United Provinces of New Granada and Venezuela joined into
the Republic of Colombia. In 1821 Ecuador joined the federation. The
Constituent Assembly of this Republic adopted a coat of arms in the same
year. (_ Colombia). After the
resignation of president Simón
Bolivar on 27 April 1830, Venezuela left the federation and became a
sovereign state, the Estado de Venezulea. In 1859 the form of government was
changed into a a union of states, the Estados Unidos de Venezuela (UU.EE. de
Venezulea). In 1953 it was made a republic, the Republica de Venezuela,
called the Republica Bolivariana de Venezuela by Constitution of 20 December
1999. The change of name is explained in Art. 1 of the Constitution
which stipulates that the republic is founded on the the moral values of
liberty, equality, justice and international peace of the doctrine of Simón
Bolivar. In the National Arms several important historical dates occur: 19 April 1810: Declaration of Autonomy 5 July 1811: Proclamation of Independence 24 March 1854: Abolition of Slavery 20 February 1859: Foundation of the United
States of Venezuela 28 March 1864: Constitution of the United
States of Venezuela.[1] |
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Until
the formal end of Spanish rule in Vnezuela in 1819, the emblems of Spain and the
Spanish Indies were used in the Province of Venezuela. These consisted,
amongst others, of the Piles of Hercules.
Two
reales, 1818 |
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The arms of
Santiago de Léon de Caracas were granted at the request of Simón de Bolívar el Mozo by royal warrant of king Philip II of Spain
dated San Lorenzo de El Escorial, 4 September 1591. The arms are
described in the Royal Warrant as follows: “[...] tiene por armas en campo de plata un León
de color pardo, puesto en pie, teniendo entre los brazos una venera de oro
con la Cruz roja de Santiago, y por timbre un coronel
de cinco puntas de oro. ..that is: [...] has for
arms on a silver field a brown lion rampant, supporting between its legs a
golden shell charged with the Red Cross of Santiago, and has for crest a golden crown of five points. At the same
time the city was granted the title of Muy
Noble y Leal (Very Noble and Loyal, the status of a privileged Señoria (lordship) and, because of its
being a capital, the qualification Grande
(great). The scallop shell is the emblem
of St. James
and the cross is the cross of the Order of St. James of the Sword (founded
1030/1175). |
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Some early representations of the arms of Caracas By Royal
Warrant of King Charles III of 13 March 1766 the arms were embellished by
adding a ribbon with the inscription “AVEMARÍA SANTÍSIMA
SIN PECADO CONCEBIDA EN EL PRIMER INSTANTE DE SU SER NATURAL” around the shield. Above the crown came
another ribbon inscribed “SANTA DE LÉON DE CARACAS 1567” and behind the shield military trophies in
saltire.
Arms
of Caracas granted 13.03.1766 Arms: Argent, a lion rampant Purpure supporting a shell Or charged with the cross of Santiago (St. James) Gules, standing on a grassy ground Vert Crown: A crown of five points Motto: On a ribbon surrounding the shield: AVE MARIA SANTISSIMA SIN PECADO CONCEBIDA EN EL
PRIMER INSTANTE DE SU SER NATURAL. On a ribbon in chief
: SANTA DE
LÉON DE CARACAS 1567. Trophy: Halberts, swords and cannon in saltire, in base of the achievement lambrequines. The arms of Caracas on
coins |
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¼
Real, 1804 |
1/8 Real, 1804 |
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05.07.1811- |
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Although Venezuela assumed its autonomy on 19 April 1810, its independence was not solemnly declared until 5 July 1811. The minutes of the session held on that date, show that it was resolved that a committee was appointed to design the national flag and cockade. The committee recommended the adoption of the same flag that five years before had flown over the Leander, one of the fleet of Francisco de Miranda’s expedition to free his home country. It consisted of three horizontal bars - one yellow, one blue, and one red - their respective widths being as follows: The yellow stripe to be wider than the blue, and this wider than the red. On 14 July 1811, the declaration of Independence was formally proclaimed in Caracas with due solemnity, and the national flag was hoisted for the first time. Its canton showed the figure of an indian woman. The indian woman was inspired by the seal of the Admiralty of Venezuela. On it was a landscape with a palmtree and a standing Indian armed with a bow and arrows, in his right hand a scroll with the word AUXILIO (Help), pointing at Liberty, arriving in a boat, in her right hand a pole with a phrygian cap and in het left hand and anchor symbolizing Hope. |
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Print
and drawing of the Seal of the Admiralty of Venezuela [2] It is
supposed that the Indian symbolized Venezuela and the figure of Liberty in a boat
the Venezolean navy. An emblem which was displayed by General Francisco Miranda in 1806, showed a scene which was a little bit adapted to his mission. On it was a female Indian armed with bow and arrows, keeping in her left hand the pole and phrygian cap, sitting on a shore and with a caiman at her feet. In the air hovers Liberty with a Constitution in her hand and a cherub with a trumpet in his left and the declaration of Independence in his right hand. In the sea are a armillary-sphere, a fortress and an anchor.
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The canton on the flag of 1811 showed the indian woman as before with bow and arrows, the pole with a phrygian cap, having now a branch of laurel in her right hand, a caiman ander her feet and a rising sun at the horizon.
Design
of the flag of Venezuelea, 1811 Archivo General de la Nación, mapoteca 4, ref. 608A |
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The Arms of 15.02.1812 |
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The first coat of arms of the Republic of Venezuela was adopted by the Constituent Assembly on 15.02.1812. It was: Arms: An allegorical representation of the Declaration of Autonomy on 19th of April 1810, surrounded by rays of the sun; around the sun seven stars. Supporter: A flying Condor, in one of his talons a caduceus and a liberty cap, in the other as many arrows as provinces. Motto: concordia res parvæ crescunt (Unity makes small things grow) on a ribbon in chief of the achievement. This decree however, never was carried into effect. [3] Instead, the emblem of the new Republic became the sun alone, charged with seven six-pointed stars and the cypher ‘19’ in the middle and surrounded by the legend = ESTADOS UNIDOS DE VENEZUELA. = 1811
A coat of arms for Venezuela appeared after Cundinamarca, Ecuador and Venezuela were united into the Republic of Colombia on 17 December 1819. In the law founding the union of that date it was decided in Art. 10 that the provisional arms and flag of the Republic would be those of Venezuela. About eight months later an achievement of the Republic of Colombia appeared on documents issued in August 1820. Arms for
Venezuela itself appeared in the head of a treatise
about a war settlement, signed in November 1820 by Simón Bolivar and Pablo
Morillo. On the shield was a sitting indian, with a plumed headdres and a bow
and arrow at his shoulder, and a pole with a phrygian cap in his left hand.
At his feet a caiman. In the distance a sailing ship on the sea and a rising
sun. In the air are three five-pointed stars, symbolizing Venezuela,
Cundinamarca and Quito. As a crest there are two clasped hands surrounded by
a garland of laurel and the word COLOMBIA. The shield is supported
by plants, flags and spears. The similarity with some of the elements on the canton on the flag of Venezuela of 1811 is remarkable. [4]
On sealed papers of Maracaibo of 1822 and 1823 the sitting indian woman at the coast and the three stars were also printed but later official papers seem to have been sealed with the seal of the Republic of Colombia adopted on 6 October 1821 |
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1830-1859/1864 |
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Arms of 14.10.1830 |
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During the presidency of General José Antonio Paéz (1830-’35), the
Constituent Congress united in Valencia decided to leave the Republic of Colombia.
On 14 October 1830 it adopted a coat of arms which was the same as the arms
adopted on the Congress of Cúcuta in 1821, with the difference that the
legend became ESTADO
DE VENEZUELA and the cornucopia were reversed, their mouths now pointing downwards Arms: Or, two cornucopia, mouth’s downwards, filled with the flowers and fruits of the cold region, and a fasces per pale consisting of a bundle of rods and an axe transversant, tied thereon a bow and arrows in saltire. Legend: ESTADO DE VENEZUELA |
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Black
and white version of the arms of 1830 |
Original
design of the arms in the Archivo General de la Nacion, Sección Secretaria del Interior y Justicia. |
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In
1834 a coat of arms for Venezuela was designed which was only for use by the
Senate. It was: Arms: Per pale, the dexter Gules,
a horse (unbridled) to the sinister.
The sinister Or, a bow, an arrow, a spear and a quiver in saltire surrounded
by a crown of laurel, proper. And a base Azure, an oval inscribed Argent. Crest:
A sun radiant issuant, charged with the cypher 20, its rays charged with 13
stars Argent.
Arms
for the Honourable Chamber of the Senate, 1834. Archivo
del Congreso de la República |
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Arms of 20.04.1836 |
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Arms
(1858) The first arms of Venezuela were approved on 18 April 1836 and
adopted by decree of 26 April following. The Chamber of Representatives had
appointed a commission which would revise the design, consisting of Manuel Felipe
Tovar, A. Febres Cordero and Don Fermín Toro, assisted by Sir Robert Ker
Porter and the drawer mr. Carmelo Fernández. The decree of the Congress reads: “The arms of Venezuela will be a shield of three quarters in the
colors of the Venezolan flag. The quarter on the right will be red with a
sheaf of wheat which has as many stalks as Venezuela has provinces and
symbolizes the union of them under the politiucal system and the wealth of the
soil at the same time. The one on the left will be yellow, and has as an
emblem of victory arms and banners surrounded by a crown of laurel. The third
quarter which occupies all the lower part, will be bluead show a white
unbridled horse, the symbol of independence. On the shield there will be a
crest the emblem of abundance which Venezuela has adopted for device. Below
are a branch of laurel and a palm-leaf tied with a blue and red
ribboninscribed with LIBERTAD - 19 DE ABRIL
DE 1810; INDEPENDENCIA - 5 DE JULIO DE 1811. Below the shield is written ESTADO DE VENEZUELA.
[5]
Achievement Arms: Parted per fess, the chief per pale: 1. Gules, a sheaf of wheat of twenty spears Or; 2. Or (Yellow), a trophy of two national flags per bend, and swords per pale and per bend sinister, tied with a wreath of laurel, proper; 3. Azure, a untamed greyhorse to the sinister, reguardant, on a base Vert. Crest: A cornucopia, mouth to the dexter, proper. Garland: Dexter a branch of laurel and sinister a palmleaf, proper. Motto: On a ribbon Gules and Azure: 19 de Abril 1810 - libertad - 5 de Julio 1811 in golden lettering. |
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The twenty spears of wheat are for Anzoátegui, Apure, Aragua, Barinas, Bolivar, Carabobo, Cojedes, Falcón, Cuárico, Lara, Merida, Miranda, Monagas, Nueva Esparta, Portuguera, Sucre, Táchira, Trujillo, Yaracuy and Zulia. In the decree the heraldic term sinister is translated by izquierda and dexter with derecha. This has caused much confusion as in fact izquierda means left and derecha right. Indeed dexter and sinister mean seen from the bearer of the shield but left and right seen by the onlooker. For that reason sometimes it was thought that the horse had to run from the sinister to the dexter instead of from the dexter to the sinister. In 1906 it was remarked by Manuel Landaeta Rosales that
the position of the horse running from the dexter to the sinister, and
turning its head to the dexter, was a heraldic error because it could be
interpreted as if the horse is fleeing. This has been
corrected in the newest change of the arms. During the presidency of José
Gregorio Monagas (1851-’55) slavery was abolished in Venezuela, in an edict signed on March 24, 1854. This
decision was one of the main causes of the Federal
War. By decree N° 213 of president General José Tadeo Monagas (1847-‘51/1855-’58) it was decided in 1856 that
the horse on the National Arms should gallop from the dexter to the sinister
(i.e. from left to right) and should have his head directed to the left (i.e.
should be reguardant). José Tadeo
Monagas and his brother José Gregorio Monagas combined rule
1847-1858 is commonly referred to as the Monagas Dynasty or
"Monagato". It ended with the overthrow of José Tadeo at the hands
of Julián Castro and his allies during José Tadeo's
second term and the beginning of the Federal War (Guerra Larga o Guerra de los Cinco Años 1859-’63). |
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28.02.1859/22.04.1864-1953 |
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Arms of 26.07.1863
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After the Federal War, the legend LIBERTAD was replaced by the legend DIOS Y FEDERACION by decree of
29 July 1863 of president general Juan Crisóstomo Falcón (1863-’68). A Constituent National Assembly of the Federation, consisting of 69
deputies from the provinces, was installed in Caracas on 24 December 1863.
Its emblem consisted of a sun radiant charged with an eagle sejant, wings expanded,
surrounded by national flags, a branch of laurel and a palm-leaf and a ribbon
with the motto DIOS Y FEDERACION in base. On stamps issued 1863-’64 the eagle had a pole with a phrygian cap and
a branch of laurel in its claws |
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Once the Constitution was adopted on 28 March 1864, the date 19de Abril 1810 was replaced by the date 28 de Marzo 1864. Also the color of the ribbon, which was red, the color of the Centralists, was changed into yellow, the color of the Federalists.
Stamps issued 1864-‘70 Arms: Parted per fess, the chief per pale: 1. Gules, a sheaf of wheat of twenty spears Or; 2. Or (Yellow), a trophy of two national flags per bend, and swords per pale and per bend sinister, tied with a wreath of laurel, proper; 3. Azure, a untamed greyhorse to the sinister, reguardant, on a base Vert. Crest: Two cornucopia in saltire, mouth’s downwards proper. Motto: 5 de Julio de 1811 - dios y
federacion - 28 de Marzo 1864. |
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The arms of 1871 |
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Arms The seven stars of the crest are for Caracas, Cumaná, Barcelona, Margarita, Trujillo, Batinas and Merida the territories of the first republic. In 1871, in the time of the presidency
of General Antonio Guzmán Blanco (1870–‘77/1879–‘84/ 1886–’87) the National Achievement was changed again by adding the words INDEPENDENCIA and LIBERTAD on
the ribbon. The inscription DIOS Y FEDERACION could be abridged to DIOS Y FEDON.
Achievement |
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Arms and Achievement in European Sources [6] |
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Arms of 25.03.1905 |
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Achievment of Venezuela, 1905 [7] By decree of President General Cipriano Castro (1902-’08)
of 28 of March 1905 the national arms were changed in the following way: Arms: Parted per fess, the chief per pale: 1. Or (Yellow), a sheaf of wheat of twenty spears Or; 2.Gules, a trophy of two national flags per bend, and swords per pale and per bend sinister, tied with a wreath of laurel, proper; 3. Azure, a untamed greyhorse running to the sinister, reguardant, on a base Vert. Crest: Two cornucopia, mouth’s downwards, proper. Garland: Dexter a branch of laurel and sinister a palmleaf, proper. Motto: On a ribbon Gules and Azure: independencia - 5 de Julio 1811 - dios y federacion - libertad - 24 de Marzo de 1854, in golden lettering. The decree
reads (in translation): The coat of arms of the
United States of Venezuela has on its field the colors of the National Flag
on three quarters: the one on the right will be yellow, and there will be a
sheaf of wheat on it of seven spears, the one on the left will be red, with
as an emblem of victory arms and two national flags surrounded by a crown of
laurel; the third quarter which occupies the lower half will be blue and has
a white untamed horse, symbol of Independence an Liberty. The shield has a
crest the emblem of abundance, and below a branch of olive and a palm-leaf
tied with a ribbon of the national colors in which is the inscription: on the
centre of the shield DIOS Y FEDERACIÓN, on the right of it 5 DE JULIO DE 1811 -
INDEPENDENCIA, and on the left 24 DE MARZO DE 1854 - LIBERTAD. [8] The
last date is the
date of the abolition of slavery. The horse gallops from left to right (dexter to sinister) its head outstretched to the sinister.
Achievement
of Venezuela, 28.03.1905 In
May 1911 senator José Gil Fortoul and some of his colleagues who thought some
of the changes incorrect from the point of view of heraldry, presented a
motion to change the National Arms. The motion was accepted but was not laid
down in a law. As a result the ancient form was restored by giving the horse its usual attitude
which was trotting or galloping to the sinister and reguardant, and transposing the
colors of the first two quarters. [9] From
this time several versions of the arms are known which differ mainly in the position
of the horse which was depicted running to the dexter or to the sinister.
Also, the inscription on the ribbon was different in that the dates were
written in the upper sections with the mottoes INDEPENDENCE and LIBERTAD
below and that DIOS Y FEDERACION was in one version abridged to DIOS
Y FEDON
. Another
difference is that the device in the second quarter became a spear, two
swords and two national banners in saltire. |
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Arms of 17.07.1930 |
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Arms On 17 July 1930 the National Congress decided that the
legend of the national achievement would be: on the right: 19 de abril de 1810 -
Independencia; on the left: 20 de febrero de 1859 - Federación; and below: E.E. U.U. de Venezuela. The second date is the date of the Federal Revolution of
Coro.
Achievement Arms: Parted per fess, the chief per pale: 1. Gules, a sheaf of wheat of twenty spears Or; 2. Or (Yellow), a trophy of a spear, swords and national flags in saltire, tied with a wreath of laurel, proper; 3. Azure, a untamed greyhorse to the sinister, reguardant, on a base Vert. Crest: Two cornucopia in saltire, mouth’s downwards, proper. Garland: Dexter a branch of laurel and sinister a palmleaf, proper. Motto: On a ribbon of the colours Yellow, Azure and Gules: 19 de Abril 1810 - independencia - e.e.u.u. de venezuela - 20 de Febrero de 1859 - federacion in golden lettering. |
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1953-1999 |
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Arms of 19.02.1954 |
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Arms
Achievement Arms: Parted per fess, the chief per pale: 1. Gules, a sheaf of wheat of twenty spears Or; 2. Or (Yellow), a trophy of national flags and swords in saltire, tied with a wreath of laurel, proper; 3. Azure, a untamed greyhorse to the sinister, reguardant, on a base Vert. Crest: Two cornucopia in saltire, mouth’s downwards, proper. Garland: Dexter a branch of laurel and sinister a palmleaf, proper. Motto: On a ribbon of the colours Yellow, Azure and Gules: 19 de Abril 1810 - independencia - republica de venezuela - 20 de Febrero de 1859 - federacion in golden lettering. |
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20.12.1999 - present |
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After 1999 the name of the republic on
the ribbon was replaced by REPUBLICA
BOLIVARIANA DE VENEZUELA, also in golden lettering |
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Arms of 10.03.2006 |
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Arms By law of the National Assembly of
Venezuela of 10 March 2006, the number of spears of the sheaf of wheat in the
first quarter was augmented to 24, the number of states of the Republic. In the second quarter a bow and
arrow and a machete were added. In the third quarter the horse was positioned
galloping from the sinister to the dexter, its head facing to the dexter. Æ See
ilustration in the head of this essay The
law reads:
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Simón
Bolivar |
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The
arms of the Bolivar Family above the entrance of the birth-place of Simón
Bolivar in Caracas Simón
Bolivar (1783-1830) who was a scion of an ancient familiy living in
Venezuela since the 16th century, played an important role in the campaigns against
Spanish rule at the beginning of the 19th century. He was a president of
Venezuela from 1813-’14 and from the Republic of Colombia from 1819-’30. Also he
was the president of Peru from 1824-‘27 and of Bolivia in 1825. Because of
his triumphs over the Spanish Monarchy he is called El Libertador (The Liberator) and is considered to be a kind of pater patria in some of the South
American republics. The Republic of Bolivia, former Upper Peru, is called
after him. Belonging
to the noble Bolivar family he bore a coat of arms being: Arms: Per fess, the base per pale: 1. Or, four
leaves Vert, 2 & 2; 2. Gules, a bend Or, voided of the field, issuant
from two dragons’ muzzles in dexter chief an sinister base Vert, in sinister
chief an eight-pointed star Or. 3. Argent, a tree eradicated Vert. Crest: On a helmet lambrequined, three ostrich
feathers Or and Vert. The
seond quarter is of the arms of the Orden de la Banda (Order of the Bend) founded by Alfonso
XI of Castile in 1332. It remains to be researched which member of the
Bolivar family was actually honoured with the order. |
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Presidential Flag |
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The presidential flag of Venezuela
is in a way the successor of the Royal Arms of the kings of Spain, sovereigns
of the Spanish Empire, succeeded in Venezuela by Simon Bolivar en its
successors. It is a badge of office and not a personal emblem like the royal
coats of arms before. A presidential
flag is known from the Estados Unidos de Venezuela of 1863 and its
successors. It is of the national colors and shows the national arms. |
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1863-1905 |
1905-1930 |
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1930-1954 |
1954-1997 |
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1997-2006 |
2006-present |
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Presidential Distinctives |
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The president wears for official
dress his uniform as a supreme commander, or civil dress, completed with a
sash (comparable with the former crown) of the national colors decorated with
the national achievement, worn from his right shoulder to his left side. |
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Star of the Order
of the Liberator |
Being the chief of the highest
national order, the Orden del
Libertador, he also wears the collar and star of that order on formal
occasions. The order was
created by Antonio Guzmán Blanco on 14 September 1880, and was reformed in
1922 under the presidency of Juan Vicente Gómez. The Order was preceded by
the Order of the Liberators created by Simón Bolívar in 1813 and the Medal
of Distinction with the bust of the Liberator created on March 11, 1854
under the presidency of José Gregorio Monagas The collar
consists of ten links of the cypher SB (Simón Bolivar), the S enameled blue
and the B enameled red, separated by nine golden shields of the national arms
surrounded by green enameled crowns of laurel and a tenth in the middle of
the national achievement, also surrounded by a green crown of laurel. |
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Picture Wikipedia Commons Collar of the
Order of the Liberator |
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The jewel pending from the collar
consists of a sun radiant of 28 rays and a medallion of the portrait of Simón
Bolivar within a blue bordure inscribed with his name, on the reverse the
national achievement.
Jewel of the Medal of Distinction with the bust of the
Liberator (1854) and of the Order of the Liberator (1880) Å Order of the Liberators
(1813) |
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The Armed
Forces of Venezuela (Fuerza
Armada Nacional Bolivariana) are subordinated to the Ministry of Popular Power. They consist of
six corpses:
Ministry
of Popular Power, Internal Affairs and Justice
Ministry of Defense Arms: Quarterly: 1: Azure (dark), a bend sinister Gules, and a trophy of a spear
per pale, a rifle and a cannon in saltire charged with a tower Or for the
Army; 2. Azure, a foul anchor per pale charged with a steering wheel O for
the Navyr; 3. Vert, an eagle Or, on his breast a shield Azure for the Air
Force; 4. Gules, A balance charged with a spear and an arrow in saltire Or,
in base a five-pointed star Argent for the National Guard. Within a bordure
parted embattled Gules and Or. Legend: MINISTERIO DE LA DEFENSA, seven five-pointed stars Argent in chief and a
garland of branches of lauerl in base, per bordure. Supporters: The sword of Simón Bolivar per pale and four
swords in saltire, intertwined with a ribbon of the national colors. |
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Army |
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Arms: A circular shield
with a pointed buckle surrounded by nine rivets Argent and the concentric
outlines of two cogwheels, Sable. Crest: A tower
crenellated of three, Or. Supporters: A
rifle and a cannon in saltire proper and a spear ensigned of the banner of
Venezuela per pale Motto: A ribbon
per fess Azure, Gules and Azure, the Gules inscribed PTO.
CABELLO BOYACÁ PICHINCHA CARABOBO
AYACUCHO JUNIN EL CALLAO in
white script.
Initially the emblem was
surrounded by the legend: EJERCITO VENEZOLANDO / FORJADOR DE LIBERTADES. At
present the legend is: EJERCITO
/ NACI0NAL BOLIVARIANO.
Such a shield is thought to be the
‘Wheel of Ezechiel’ from the quite enigmatic Ezechiel 1.15-21. It is also
depicted on a jeton from France,
dated 1680. This shows a landscape with a shield in the clouds within the
legend: OPPORTVNVS ADEST (We Settle at the Right Time).[11] |
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Navy |
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Arms: A seascape within a bordure Gules,
inscribed with the motto, on the shore Vert a mast with its sail and an
anchor in saltire, sitting thereon an eagle, a ribbon in its beak Or, inscribed
Patria y Honor in black lettering, Argent; the sea Azure, two ships Sable: in
the air Azure, a semi-circle of seven
five-pointed stars Or, and a cloud Argent on the sinister; Crown: A Naval Crown Motto: 24 DE JULIO DE 1823 / NAVIGARE NECESSE, VIVERE NON NECESSE in golden lettering on the bordure Gules ·
Red
symbolizes courage and and means that
the spirit of the Venezolean Navy is victorius in the struggle against the
matter. ·
The
eagle symbolizes vigilance ·
The
anchor is the symbol of the existence dedicated to the Marines. ·
The
shore symbolizes the national territory ·
The
field is the same as of the arms of the Ministry of the Navy of Venezuela,
adopted by decree of Marshal Juan Chrisóstomo Falcón on 29 July 1863. It
commemorates the Naval Battle of Maracaibo. ·
In the
sea are the schooner ‘20 de Febrero’ and the war steamer ‘Maparari’ ·
The
stars represent the schooners of war Bolívar, Brión, Mariño, Piar,
Constitución, Feliz and Conejo, having taken part in the naval liberation
expedition organized by Simón Bolivar in 1816, sailing from Haiti under the
command of Admiral Luís Brión. |
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Marines |
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The Marines of Venezuela (División
de Infantería de Marina General Simón Bolívar) is a division of the Navy
Emblem
Arms Arms: Azure (= aquamarine) the outlines of the map
of Venezuela, Sable, charged with a foul anchor per pale on a rifle per fess,
pointing to the sinister proper, crested with a semicircle of seven
five-pointed stars Or. And a chief per pale, the dexter Argent a caiman
proper, the sinister the lighthouse of Punta Brava proper. Crest: A crown set with bayonets, a landing craft,
its doors of the bow opened for dismebarkation on top, Or. Garland: Branches of Coffee and stalks of Sugar cane proper Motto: VALOR 11 DE DICIEMBRE DE 1945 LEALTAD
in golden lettering on a ribbonAzure.
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Air Force |
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Cap Badge
Pilot Wings 1st
class
Pilot Wings
Roundel |
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National
Guard |
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Arms: Gules,
a balance and a spear and an arrow in saltire Or, in chief a banner of the
national colors and in base a five-poited star Argent. Crown: A mural crown of five towers. Motto: GUARDIA NACIONAL DE VENEZUELA / EL HONOR ES SU
DIVISA in silver lettering on a ribbon gules, edged Or.
The
three elements together represent the important mission of the Guard and are
of gold to show its nobility, generosity, joy and stamina needed to
accomplish its tasks. The
mural crown symbolizes the Republic. |
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National
Militia |
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National Militia |
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Presidential
Guard |
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Presidential
Guard |
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Police |
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Police
services in Venezuela are divided between four institutions or corpses: 1. The National Guard (Guardia Nacional de Venezuela) is
subordinated to the Ministry of Defense The other three are subordinated
to the Ministry of the Interior and Justice: 2. Intelligence Service (Direccion de los Servicios de Inteligencia y Prevencion) 3. Corps of Investigations (Cuerpo de Investigaciones Cientifica,
Penales y Criminalisticas) 4. Venezuelan National Police (Policia Nacional de Venezuela)
(founded 2006) |
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Intelligence
Service |
Corps of
Investigations |
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National Police |
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© Hubert de Vries 2012-02-25
Heraldry of the World