#intelligence

Venezuela: Military and Paramilitary Forces — The FANB, the Colectivos, and the Civil-Military Fusion Problem

This article analyzes Venezuela's military and security architecture, focusing on the National Bolivarian Armed Forces (FANB) and the doctrine of civil-military fusion. It explores the traditional branches of the military, the National Bolivarian Militia, and the informal community armed groups known as colectivos. Additionally, it covers the opaque defense budget, arms acquisitions from Russia and China, deep Cuban intelligence integration, and the porous border security challenges.