The Bolivian Naval Force (Fuerza Naval Boliviana in Spanish), formerly Bolivian Navy (Armada Boliviana) is a naval force about 5.000 strong in 2008[1], although Bolivia has been landlocked since the War of the Pacific in 1879. 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 the Peruvian frontier.
Landlocked Bolivia has never become reconciled with its loss to Chile of its coast, and the Navy exists to keep the hope of recovering its coast alive by cultivating a maritime conscience.
The Navy is organized into five naval districts, with flotilla headquarters in Guaqui, Puerto Guayamerin, Puerto Suarez, Riberalta, and San Pedro de Tiquina, and bases in Puerto Busch, Puerto Horquilla, Puerto Villarroel, Trinidad, and Rurrenabaque. Naval vessels included several dozen boats, some dozen or more of which are for riverine patrol, including the 20-m Santa Cruz de la Sierra, and one seagoing vessel, the Libertador Simón Bolívar (a ship acquired from Venezuela, where it was named Barquisimeto), whose home port is actually Rosario, Argentina on the River Paraná. In 1993, the Navy was formally renamed to Naval Force (Fuerza Naval) and moved with the Army under a single military authority.
The Bolivian Navy takes part in many parades and government functions, but none more so than the Dia Del Mar (Day of the Sea) in which Bolivia, each year, asks for the coast taken from them by Chile in the War of the Pacific (fought between Peru and Bolivia against Chile), 1879 to 1884. This is still a sore point for Bolivia, influencing many modern day political actions and trade decisions.
Strength
Boats
The Bolivian Navy has a total of 173 vessels, mostly stationed on Lake Titicaca:
- 91 3-man river patrol boats
- 37 logistic support boats
- 44 river transportscitation needed
Naval aviation
Bolivia's navy operates two utility aircraft for the use of headquarters.
References
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