Venezuela's Constitution: Indigenous Rights, Environment & Armed Forces

Chapter IX: Environmental Rights

Article 124: Protecting Intellectual Property and Collective Knowledge

Article 124 guarantees and protects intellectual property and collective knowledge.

Article 125: Indigenous Peoples' Right to Political Participation

Article 125 states that Indigenous peoples have the right to political participation.

Article 126: Indigenous Peoples as Part of the Nation

Article 126 affirms that Indigenous peoples, as cultures with ancestral roots, are part of the Nation.

Article 127: Environmental Protection as a Right and Duty

Article 127 establishes that it is a right and duty of each generation to protect and maintain the environment for its own benefit.

Article 128: State's Role in Environmental Planning

Article 128 mandates that the State shall develop a planning policy in response to ecological realities.

Article 129: Environmental Impact Studies

Article 129 requires that all activities likely to cause damage to ecosystems must be preceded by environmental impact studies.

The National Armed Forces of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela

The National Armed Forces of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela is composed of 157,000-189,000 men and women divided into four components: Land, Sea, Air, and National Guard. This is in accordance with Article 328 of the Constitution and Article 29 of the Organic Law of the Bolivarian National Armed Forces. These components are complemented by the National Militia, a special group organized by the Venezuelan State, composed of the Military Reserve and the Territorial Militia. Its purpose is to complement the Bolivarian National Armed Forces in the Comprehensive Defense of the Nation and ensure its independence and sovereignty.

Therefore, the components of the National Armed Forces are:

• Army
• Navy
• Aviation
• National Guard

The main roles fulfilled by the armed forces are defending the sovereignty of national territory, airspace, islands, the fight against drug trafficking, search and rescue, and civil protection in disasters. All male citizens of Venezuela have a legal duty to register for military service when they turn 18 years old, which is the age of majority in Venezuela, although the service is currently voluntary.

Mission of the Bolivarian National Armed Forces

Article 3 of the Organic Law of the National Armed Forces states that the Bolivarian National Armed Force's primary mission is to ensure the independence and sovereignty of the nation and ensure the integrity of the geographical area, through military defense, cooperation in maintaining internal order, and active participation in national development.

Components of the National Armed Forces

According to Article 9 of the Organic Law of the National Armed Forces, which entered into force on September 26, 2005, the National Armed Forces consists of four components: the Army, Navy, Military Aviation, and National Guard, which work holistically. They are complemented by the National Reserve and Territorial Guard, gathered at the General Command of the National Reserve and National Mobilization, as the fifth component thereof, to comply with military defense and participate in the comprehensive defense of the Nation.

Each component has its respective commanding general and his staff, logistical structures, and training schools, with the exception of the Reserve. The Reserve is nourished by cadres of officers and sub-officers previously trained in the other components, but it has its own training centers and has initiated special courses for the training of warrant officers.

Symbols of the Homeland

Article 1 states that the National Flag, the Coat of Arms of the Republic, and the National Anthem are symbols for all Venezuelans and are to be respected by the citizens of other countries.