Bolivia's Navy: A Unique Military Strategy

Bolivia is a landlocked country that has been without a coastline for over a century. However, it has a very active naval branch of its military forces, with over 127 boats stationed at a lake and others used to patrol rivers. The Bolivian Navy, established in 1963, consists of around 5,000 personnel and is responsible for maintaining a maritime presence on Lake Titicaca and patrolling the country's Amazonian rivers. The Navy's existence is a symbol of Bolivia's refusal to give up on reclaiming its lost coastline, and it plays a crucial role in combating drug trafficking, delivering medical supplies, and providing disaster relief.

Bolivia's navy exists to cultivate a maritime consciousness and keep alive the hope of recovering its coast lost to Chile

Bolivia has a navy, but no coastline. This is because, during the War of the Pacific, which took place between 1879 and 1883 or 1884, Bolivia lost 240km (or 250 miles) of coastline to Chile. The country has never fully reconciled with this loss, and the Bolivian Navy exists to keep the hope of recovering this coast alive.

The Bolivian Navy was established in 1963 as a "river force" with 1,800 troops and four boats supplied by the US. It was renamed the "Armada Boliviana" in 1966, and today consists of around 5,000 troops navigating the country's rivers and lakes. Bolivia has large rivers that feed into the Amazon, which are patrolled to prevent smuggling and drug trafficking. The navy also has a presence on Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable lake in the world, which borders Peru.

The Bolivian Navy serves as a symbol that the country has not given up on regaining its access to the sea. This is reflected in the navy's motto: "El mar nos pertenece por derecho, recuperarlo es un deber" ("The sea belongs to us by right, recovering it is our duty"). Every year on March 23, Bolivia celebrates the Day of the Sea, during which the country asks for the territories lost to Chile during the War of the Pacific to be returned. The loss of the coastline is considered a historical injustice and an affront to national pride, and the reconquest of this coastline influences many of Bolivia's political actions and trade decisions.

The Bolivian Navy's existence is a reminder that the country intends to keep its claim to the coastline alive. It also serves a practical purpose, delivering medical supplies to remote communities, fighting drug traffickers, and responding to natural disasters.

The Bolivian Navy has around 5,000 personnel and 173 vessels

The Bolivian Navy, also known as the Bolivian Naval Force, has a long and fascinating history dating back to the country's loss of its coastline in the 19th century. Despite being landlocked, Bolivia maintains a naval presence with approximately 5,000 personnel and 173 vessels.

The country's naval story began in 1879 during the War of the Pacific, when Bolivia lost 240km of coastline to Chile. This defeat resulted in Bolivia becoming landlocked and ceded its entire 250-mile coastline. However, the country has never reconciled with this loss, and the Bolivian Navy was established in 1963 to keep alive the hope of recovering its coast.

The Bolivian Navy is a branch of the country's armed forces and is responsible for patrolling Bolivia's large rivers, which are tributaries of the Amazon, and Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable lake in the world. The force consists of 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.

The naval fleet includes several dozen boats, with a dozen or more dedicated to riverine patrol. In addition, there are seagoing vessels, such as the American-made PR-51 Santa Cruz de la Sierra, and other ships that sail under Bolivian flag with permission from the "Capitanias Navales" Naval Registration Office. The Bolivian Navy also acquired the "Libertador Simón Bolívar" from Venezuela, which previously sailed from its home port in Rosario, Argentina, on the River Paraná.

The Bolivian Navy's 173 vessels are primarily stationed on Lake Titicaca, with a presence on other waterways, including the Amazonian rivers. The fleet composition includes:

• 1 PR-51 (Santa Cruz de la Sierra) Class patrol boat from the United States
• 6 Capitan Bretel patrol boats from the People's Republic of China
• 38 Boston Whaler Piranha LP boats
• 8 Boston Whaler Piranha LP riverine assault boats Mk.1
• 3 riverine hospital ships built by Servicio Industrial de la Marina (SIMA)
• 2 hydrocarbon transporters
• 1 training ship ("Libertador Simón Bolívar")
• 1 55' Hatteras patrol vessel

In addition to its naval vessels, the Bolivian Navy also operates aircraft, including a Cessna 402 for patrol and transportation purposes.

The approximately 5,000 personnel of the Bolivian Navy include naval infantry, marines, and special operations units. The force actively participates in parades and government functions, especially the Día del Mar (Day of the Sea), during which Bolivia reaffirms its claim for sovereign access to the sea.

The Navy patrols Lake Titicaca and 5,000 miles of rivers, delivering supplies, intercepting smugglers, and responding to disasters

Bolivia's Navy, or Armada Boliviana, patrols Lake Titicaca and 5,000 miles of rivers, carrying out a range of important tasks. The Navy was established in 1963, despite Bolivia being landlocked since the War of the Pacific in the late 1800s, when the country lost its entire coastline to Chile.

The Navy's work on Lake Titicaca and the rivers involves delivering medical supplies to remote communities, responding to natural disasters, and intercepting smugglers and drug traffickers. The Navy also plays an important role in maintaining a maritime consciousness and a sense of hope among Bolivians that they will one day reclaim their coastline.

Lake Titicaca, which is shared with Peru, is the highest navigable lake in the world. The Bolivian Navy maintains a presence on the lake with various vessels, including speedboats, tankers, and boats supplied by the US. The Navy's work on the lake includes participating in archaeological explorations and carrying out exercises to challenge FIFA's ban on high-altitude football matches.

The Navy's patrols also extend to the country's Amazonian rivers, which are tributaries to the Amazon. These patrols are crucial in preventing smuggling and drug trafficking, as well as delivering supplies and responding to disasters. The Navy's presence on these waterways is a reminder of Bolivia's determination to navigate and exert control over its inland waters, despite the lack of direct access to the ocean.

Bolivia's naval presence on Lake Titicaca is shared with Peru

Bolivia established a River and Lake Force in January 1963, which included four boats supplied by the United States and 1,800 personnel recruited from the Bolivian Army. This force was later renamed the Bolivian Naval Force in 1966. Bolivia's naval presence on Lake Titicaca is part of its overall naval force, which has approximately 5,000 personnel as of 2018.

The Bolivian Navy's presence on Lake Titicaca serves multiple purposes. It patrols the lake to prevent smuggling and drug trafficking, delivers medical supplies to remote communities, and responds to disasters. Additionally, the Navy takes part in parades and government functions, particularly the Día del Mar (Day of the Sea), during which Bolivia reasserts its claim for sovereign access to the sea.

Bolivia lost its coastline to Chile during the War of the Pacific from 1879 to 1883 (or 1884, according to some sources). This loss is considered a "historical injustice," and Bolivia has never stopped trying to reclaim its coastline. The country maintains a naval presence on Lake Titicaca to keep the hope of recovering its coast alive and to cultivate a maritime consciousness.

The Bolivian Navy has several Special Forces units to address both internal and external conflicts

The Bolivian Navy, or Bolivian Naval Force, has several Special Forces units to address both internal and external conflicts. The Bolivian Navy is responsible for defending Bolivia from both internal and external threats.

The Bolivian Navy has a long history, dating back to the country's loss of its coastline during the War of the Pacific from 1879 to 1884. Bolivia lost 240km of coastline to Chile and has since been landlocked. The Bolivian Navy was established in 1963 with four boats supplied by the US and has continued to operate despite not having access to the ocean.

Today, the Bolivian Navy has a variety of vessels, including speed boats, tankers, and other craft cast off by China. They navigate the country's Amazonian rivers and Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable lake in the world. The Bolivian Navy's duties include fighting drug traffickers, delivering medical supplies to remote communities, and responding to natural disasters.

The Bolivian Navy's Special Forces units include the Task Force "Blue Devils", the Naval Intelligence Service (SINDA), the Immediate Response Group (GRIN), and the High Altitude Diving Training Center. These units are trained to handle both internal and external conflicts, with a focus on cultivating a maritime consciousness and recovering Bolivia's lost coastline.

In addition to its Special Forces units, the Bolivian Navy also has several infantry battalions distributed across its naval districts, which are named after the basin or region in which they operate. These battalions include the 1st Marine Battalion "Bagué", the 2nd Marine Battalion "Tocopilla", the 3rd Marine Battalion "Mejillones", and the 4th Marine Infantry Battalion IV "Alliance".

The Bolivian Navy's Special Forces units play a crucial role in the country's defence and security, ensuring that Bolivia is prepared to address both internal and external conflicts.

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