Bolivarian Navy of Venezuela The navy of Venezuela is officially called the Bolivarian Navy of Venezuela ( ) . It serves the purpose of defending the naval sovereignty of the country , including inland , fluvial security , it also serves to prevent illegal activities in the Venezuelan borders and collaborates with international organizations to safeguard international waters from criminal activities . History . The Navy was born as a coastal defense force during the height of the Venezuelan War of Independence . In April 1811 the Nautical School was opened by order of the national government in La Guaira to train future naval officers , months before the Venezuelan Declaration of Independence , thus the Navy ' s origins start from this date , with its first vessels being those formerly used by the naval forces of the Captaincy General of Venezuela . For 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 where retained in service until 1951 ( for other sources in 1948 or 1950 ) and scrapped later . Joint exercises . 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 that region since the end of the Cold War . The fleet of ships , headed by the nuclear - powered " Pyotr Velikiy " , set off from its base at Severomorsk in the Arctic on Monday , September 22 . Russian Navy spokesman Igor Dygalo told the AFP news agency , " It ' s the nuclear - powered guided missile cruiser " Peter the Great " , the anti - submarine warship " Admiral Chebanenko " and other accompanying ships " . The other ships included a tug boat and supply ships . Organization of the Navy . The Navy is led by the Commanding General of the Navy , by 2012 Admiral Diego Antonio Guerra Barreto . Naval Operations Command . Led by the Chief of Naval Operations , as of 2013 Vice Admiral Jesus Gerardo Ortega Hernández , it supervises all 4 naval operating commands . Fleet Forces Command . Based in Naval Base Rear Admiral Agustín Armario in Puerto Caballo , Carabobo State it is the lead operating command of the Navy , divided into four operating squadrons : Fluvial Command . This command is the riverline and fluvial operations arm of the Navy mandated for riverline operations . Venezuelan Naval Aviation Command . The command serves as the air arm of the Venezulean Navy . Naval Air Stations of the Venezuelan Navy . There are eight Naval Air Statons : Coast Guard Command . Headquartered in La Guaira , Vargas , it is responsible for the surveillance of Venezuelas jurisdictional waters . Support and Shore Establishment Commands . Naval Service Education and Training Command . The NSETC has eight component units tasked in the training of all officers and enlisted personnel : Fleet Forces and Coast Guard ship organization . The following is the roster of active duty vessels and ships of the Venezuelan National Bolivarian Navy . Naval Aviation assets . Airplanes . Note : The Navy has others two or three light aircraft .