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last updated: 9/25/06

Venezuela


Overview
Country Snapshot

Population: 24,654,694 (July 2003 est.)
Size, comparable to U.S.: slightly more than twice the size of California
Per Capita GDP, not adjusted for PPP (year): $3,800 (2000)
Income, wealthiest 10% / poorest 10%:  53.2/.8 (1998)
Population earning less than $2 a day: 32%
Ranking, Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index: 100 out of 133
Defense Expenditure as a percentage of GDP: 1.5% (2001)
Size of armed forces: 82,000 (2001)
U.S. military personnel present: 26 (2003)

  • Click here to read the Venezuela overview from the 1999 edition of Just the Facts
Military and Police Aid
 
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006 est
2007 req
Funding
Trainees
Funding
Trainees
Funding
Trainees

International Narcotics Control (INC)

 
2.50
 
0.77
 
1.86
 
1.45
 
0.82
 
0.08

Foreign Military Financing (FMF)

 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00

International Military Education and Training (IMET)

 
0.50
78
 
0.68
90
 
0.00
20
 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.05

"Section 1004" (Defense Dept. Counternarcotics)

 
2.15
103
 
2.15
30
 
2.15
 
2.15
 
2.15
 
2.15

"Section 1033" (Defense Dept. Counternarcotics)

 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00

Emergency Drawdowns

 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00

Antiterrorism Assistance (NADR/ATA)

 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00

Export Control / Border Security (NADR/EXBS)

 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00
Demining (NADR/HD) 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00

Small Arms / Light Weapons (NADR/SALW)

 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00

Peacekeeping Operations (PKO)

 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00

Counter-Terrorism Fellowship Program (CTFP)

 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.01
2
 
0.01
 
0.01
 
0.01

Regional Defense Centers (CHDS)

 
0.05
19
 
0.07
25
 
0.04
13
 
0.04
 
0.04
 
0.04

Discretionary Funds from ONDCP

 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00

Excess Defense Articles (EDA)

 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00

Aviation Leadership Program (ALP)

 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00

Enhanced International Peacekeeping Capabilities (EIPC)

 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00

Sales, JCETS, exchanges and unspecified

 
245
 
111
 
50
 
 
 

Total

5.20
445
3.67
256
4.05
85
3.64
3.02
2.31

**All numbers in millions of U.S. dollars.
**Underlined numbers are estimates based on the last available year.

 
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
Funding
Trainees
Funding
Trainees
Funding
Trainees
Funding
Trainees

International Narcotics Control (INC)

 
0.13
 
0.28
 
0.21
 
0.28
 
3.77
 
0.55

Foreign Military Financing (FMF)

 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00

International Military Education and Training (IMET)

 
0.43
 
0.39
 
0.40
92
 
0.40
182
 
0.38
93
 
0.49
133

"Section 1004" (Defense Dept. Counternarcotics)

 
?
 
4.09
 
6.43
 
3.33
512
 
2.33
Classified
 
2.15
190

"Section 1033" (Defense Dept. Counternarcotics)

 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00

Emergency Drawdowns

 
12.25
 
1.00
 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00

Antiterrorism Assistance (NADR/ATA)

 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00

Export Control / Border Security (NADR/EXBS)

 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00
Demining (NADR/HD) 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00

Small Arms / Light Weapons (NADR/SALW)

 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00

Peacekeeping Operations (PKO)

 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00

Counter-Terrorism Fellowship Program (CTFP)

 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00

Regional Defense Centers (CHDS)

 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.16
71
 
0.06
8
 
0.05
7

Discretionary Funds from ONDCP

 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00

Excess Defense Articles (EDA)

 
0.21
 
0.00
 
0.15
 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00

Aviation Leadership Program (ALP)

 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00

Enhanced International Peacekeeping Capabilities (EIPC)

 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00
 
0.00

Sales, JCETS, exchanges and unspecified

 
 
 
1,165
 
0.27
161
 
0.14
239
 
0.03
227

Total

13.01
5.76
7.18
1,257
4.43
926
6.68
340
3.26
557

**All numbers in millions of U.S. dollars.

Social and Economic Aid
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006 est
2007 req
International Narcotics Control (INC)
 
0.10
0.05
0.11
0.08
0.08
0.20
1.88
0.51
2.30
0.73
0.61
0.13
Economic Support Funds (ESF)
 
0.00
0.00
0.30
0.00
0.50
0.00
0.50
0.47
1.50
2.43
0.00
1.50
Development Assistance (DA)
 
Child Survival and Health (CSH)
 
P.L. 480 "Food for Peace"
 
Peace Corps
 
Transition Initiatives
 
Counterterrorism Financing (NADR/CTF)
 
Millennium Challenge
 
HIV/AIDS
 
Total
0.10
0.05
0.41
0.08
0.58
0.20
2.38
0.98
3.80
3.16
0.61
1.63

**All numbers in millions of U.S. dollars.


Sales
Program19961997 1998 1999 2000 20012002 2003
Foreign Military Sales
Government-to-government sales of defense articles, training and services
$23,501,000 (Agreements)$59,421,000 (Agreements)$5,968,000 (Agreements)$9,564,000 (Agreements)$15,780,000 (Agreements)$35,624,000 (Agreements)$19,600,000 (Agreements)$20,000,000 (Agreements)
$21,332,000 (Deliveries)$21,464,000 (Deliveries)$30,852,000 (Deliveries)$31,710,000 (Deliveries)$12,612,000 (Deliveries) $22,209,000 (Deliveries) $18,099,000 (Deliveries)  
Direct Commercial Sales
Sales from U.S. companies licensed by the U.S. government (Licenses)
$711,891,676 $358,510,064 $187,346,453 $132,913,969 $77,175,947$249,998,696$38,592,694$43,003,173
Leased Defense Articles$501,000 replacement value; $29,000 total rental value$3,351,000 replacement value; $88,000 total rental value$3,350,000 replacement value; $88,000 total rental value$0$0$0   


Training Institutions
Program1996 actual1997 actual1998 actual1999 actual2000 actual2001 actual2002 actual
School of the Americas
The U.S. Army's Spanish-language training school for Latin American militaries
47 students; 5.1% of total22 students;
2.6% of total
39 students;
4.8% of total
30 students; 5% of total39 students;
6% of total
41 Students30 Students
Navy Small Craft and Technical Training School
The U.S. Navy's Spanish-language training school for Latin American militaries
NANA13 studentsNANA3 students1 students
Inter-American Air Forces Academy
The U.S. Air Force''s Spanish-language training school for Latin American militaries
43 students, 6.8% of total49 students, 5.6% of total79 students, 8.7% of total    
Center for Hemispheric Defense Studies
Defense Department initiative to improve civilians' defense planning and management skills
006 students9 students3 students5 students19 students


Training Deployments
Program1997 actual1998 actual1999 actual2000 actual
Exercises
Special Operations Forces deployments3 to 2714 to 3411 


Sources

Country Snapshots

    • U.S. Department of State Background Notes
      http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/
    • Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index 2003
      http://www.transparency.org/pressreleases_archive/2003/2003.10.07.cpi.en.html
    • The World Factbook 2003
      http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/
    • Human Development Index
      http://hdr.undp.org/reports/global/2003/pdf/hdr03_HDI.pdf
    • Nationmaster Military-Armed Forces Personnel
      http://www.nationmaster.com/red/graph-T/mil_arm_for_per&int=-1
    • Department of Defense: Active Duty Military Personnel Strengths by Regional Area and by Country
      http://www.dior.whs.mil/mmid/M05/hst1203.pdf

International Narcotics Control 1996: United States, Department of State, Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, Fiscal Year 1998 Budget Congressional Presentation (Washington: Department of State: March 1997).
International Narcotics Control 1997: United States, Department of State, Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, Fiscal Year 1999 Budget Congressional Presentation (Washington: Department of State: March 1998).
International Narcotics Control 1998: United States, Department of State, Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, Fiscal Year 2000 Budget Congressional Presentation (Washington: Department of State: March 1999).
International Narcotics Control 1999: United States, Department of State, Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, Fiscal Year 2001 Budget Congressional Presentation (Washington: Department of State: March 2000) <http://www.state.gov/www/global/narcotics_law/fy2001_budget/latin_america.html>.
International Narcotics Control 2000: United States, Department of State, Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, Fiscal Year 2002 Budget Congressional Justification (Washington: Department of State: April 2001): <http://www.state.gov/g/inl/rls/rpt/cbj/fy2002/index.cfm?docid=3701>.
United States, Department of State, Report to Congress on Plan Colombia and Related Programs (Washington: Department of State, July 2000) <http://ciponline.org/colombia/080102.htm>.
International Narcotics Control 2001: United States, Department of State, Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, Fiscal Year 2003 Budget Congressional Justification (Washington: Department of State: April 2002) <http://www.state.gov/g/inl/rls/rpt/cbj/fy2003/>.
International Narcotics Control 2002: United States, Department of State, Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, Fiscal Year 2004 Budget Congressional Justification (Washington: Department of State: June 2003) <http://www.state.gov/g/inl/rls/rpt/cbj/fy2004/>.
International Narcotics Control 2003: United States, Department of State, Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, Fiscal Year 2005 Budget Congressional Justification (Washington: Department of State: April 2004) <http://www.state.gov/p/inl/rls/rpt/cbj/fy2005/>.
International Narcotics Control 2004-6: United States, Department of State, Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, Fiscal Year 2006 Budget Congressional Justification (Washington: Department of State: April 2005) <http://www.state.gov/p/inl/rls/rpt/cbj/fy2006/>.
United States, White House, Office of Management and Budget, 2003 Supplemental Appropriations Request to Congress (Washington: White House, March 25, 2003) <http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/amendments/supplemental_3_25_03.pdf>.
Foreign Military Financing 1996: United States, Department of State, Office of Resources, Plans and Policy, Congressional Presentation for Foreign Operations, Fiscal Year 1998 (Washington: March 1997).
Foreign Military Financing 1997: United States, Department of State, Office of Resources, Plans and Policy, Congressional Presentation for Foreign Operations, Fiscal Year 1999 (Washington: March 1998).
United States, General Accounting Office, "Drug Control: U.S. Counternarcotics Efforts in Colombia Face Continuing Challenges," GAO/NSIAD-98-60 (Washington: GAO, February 12, 1998) <http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/useftp.cgi?IPaddress=waisback.access.gpo.gov&filename=ns98060.txt&directory=/diskb/wais/data/gao>.
Foreign Military Financing 1998: United States, Department of State, Office of Resources, Plans and Policy, Congressional Presentation for Foreign Operations, Fiscal Year 2000 (Washington: March 1999).
Foreign Military Financing 1999: United States, Department of State, Office of Resources, Plans and Policy, Congressional Presentation for Foreign Operations, Fiscal Year 2001 (Washington: March 2000). <http://www.state.gov/www/budget/fy2001/fn150/forops_full/150fy01_fo_military-asst.html>.
United States, Department of Defense, Department of State, Foreign Military Training and DoD Engagement Activities of Interest in Fiscal Years 1999 and 2000: A Report to Congress (Washington: March 2000) <http://www.state.gov/www/global/arms/fmtrain/toc.html>.
Foreign Military Financing 2000: United States, Department of State, Office of Resources, Plans and Policy, Congressional Presentation for Foreign Operations, Fiscal Year 2002 (Washington: April 2001) <http://www.state.gov/m/rm/rls/cbj/2002/>.
United States, Department of State, Department of Defense, Foreign Military Training and DoD Engagement Activities of Interest In Fiscal years 2000 and 2001, Volume I (Washington: March 2001) <http://www.state.gov/t/pm/rls/rpt/2001/fmtrpt/>.
Foreign Military Financing 2001: United States, Department of State, FY 2003 Congressional Budget Justification for Foreign Operations (Washington, DC: Department of State, April 15, 2002) <http://www.state.gov/m/rm/rls/cbj/2003/>.
Foreign Military Financing 2002: United States, Department of State, FY 2004 Congressional Budget Justification for Foreign Operations (Washington, DC: Department of State, February 2003) <http://www.state.gov/m/rm/rls/cbj/2004/>.
United States, White House, Office of Management and Budget, 2003 Supplemental Appropriations Request to Congress (Washington: White House, March 25, 2003) <http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/amendments/supplemental_3_25_03.pdf>.
Foreign Military Financing 2003: United States, Department of State, FY 2005 Congressional Budget Justification for Foreign Operations (Washington, DC: Department of State, February 2004) <http://www.state.gov/m/rm/rls/cbj/2005/>.
Foreign Military Financing 2004-6: United States, Department of State, FY 2006 Congressional Budget Justification for Foreign Operations (Washington, DC: Department of State, February 2005) <http://www.state.gov/m/rm/rls/cbj/2006/>.
International Military Education and Training 1996: United States, Department of State, Office of Resources, Plans and Policy, Congressional Presentation for Foreign Operations, Fiscal Year 1998 (Washington: March 1997).
International Military Education and Training 1997: United States, Department of State, Office of Resources, Plans and Policy, Congressional Presentation for Foreign Operations, Fiscal Year 1999 (Washington: March 1998).
International Military Education and Training 1998: United States, Department of State, Office of Resources, Plans and Policy, Congressional Presentation for Foreign Operations, Fiscal Year 2000 (Washington: March 1999).
International Military Education and Training 1999: United States, Department of State, Office of Resources, Plans and Policy, Congressional Presentation for Foreign Operations, Fiscal Year 2001 (Washington: March 2000). <http://www.state.gov/www/budget/fy2001/fn150/forops_full/150fy01_fo_military-asst.html>.
International Military Education and Training 2000: United States, Department of State, Office of Resources, Plans and Policy, Congressional Presentation for Foreign Operations, Fiscal Year 2002 (Washington: April 2001) <http://www.state.gov/m/rm/rls/cbj/2002/>.
International Military Education and Training 2001: United States, Department of State, FY 2003 Congressional Budget Justification for Foreign Operations (Washington, DC: Department of State, April 15, 2002) <http://www.state.gov/m/rm/rls/cbj/2003/>.
International Military Education and Training 2002: United States, Department of State, FY 2004 Congressional Budget Justification for Foreign Operations (Washington, DC: Department of State, February 2003) <http://www.state.gov/m/rm/rls/cbj/2004/>.
International Military Education and Training 2003: United States, Department of State, FY 2005 Congressional Budget Justification for Foreign Operations (Washington, DC: Department of State, February 2004) <http://www.state.gov/m/rm/rls/cbj/2005/>.
International Military Education and Training 2004-6: United States, Department of State, FY 2006 Congressional Budget Justification for Foreign Operations (Washington, DC: Department of State, February 2005) <http://www.state.gov/m/rm/rls/cbj/2006/>.
"Section 1004" 1997: H. Allen Holmes, coordinator for drug enforcement policy and support, United States Department of Defense, letter in response to congressional inquiry, Jan. 23, 1998.
"Section 1004" 1998: Ana Maria Salazar, deputy assistant secretary of defense for drug enforcement policy and support, United States Department of Defense, letter in response to congressional inquiry, Mar. 19, 1999.
"Section 1004" 1999: United States, Department of Defense, Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Drug Enforcement Policy and Support, correspondence with authors, September 21, 2000.
"Section 1004" 2000: United States, Department of Defense, Report on Department of Defense Expenditures To Support Foreign Counterdrug Activities, Washington, December 29, 2000.
United States Congress, Conference Report 106-701 on H.R. 3908, June 29, 2000 <http://ciponline.org/colombia/confrept.pdf>.
"Section 1004" 2001: United States, Department of Defense, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low Intensity Conflict, Report required by the Floyd D. Spence National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2001 (P.L. 106-398), (Washington: April 18, 2002).
United States, Department of Defense, "DoD Andean Initiative FY02 Colombia", Washington, Document obtained September 19, 2001.
"Section 1004" Colombia 2001-5: Congressional Research Service, "Andean Counterdrug Initiative (ACI) and Related Funding Programs: FY2005 Assistance," Washington, December 9, 2004 <http://ciponline.org/colombia/041209crs.pdf>.
Emergency Drawdowns 1997: United States, Department of State, "Summary Sheet," fax document, September 16, 1997.
Emergency Drawdowns 1998: United States, Department of State, "Memorandum of Justification for use of Section 506(a)(2) special authority to draw down articles, services, and military education and training," September 15, 1998.
Emergency Drawdowns 1999: United States, White House, "Draft Working Document: FY99 506(a)(2) Drawdown List Requested Items," Memorandum, September 30, 1999.
"Section 1033" 1998-2002: same as "Section 1004" above.
Anti-Terrorism Assistance Colombia 2002: United States, White House, Office of Management and Budget, "Technical Language" for supplemental appropriations request (Washington: March 21, 2002): 80 <http://ciponline.org/colombia/02supp_technicallanguage.pdf>.
Excess Defense Articles: United States, Department of Defense, Defense Security Cooperation Agency, Excess Defense Articles online database <http://www.dsca.osd.mil/home/excess_defense_articles_bbs.htm>.
ONDCP Discretionary Funds: United States, Executive Office of the President, Office of National Drug Control Policy, memo in response to congressional inquiry, February 1998.
Trainees 1998: United States, Department of State, Department of Defense, Foreign Military Training and DoD Engagement Activities of Interest in Fiscal Years 1998 and 1999 (Washington: 1999).
Trainees 1999: United States, Department of Defense, Department of State, Foreign Military Training and DoD Engagement Activities of Interest in Fiscal Years 1999 and 2000: A Report to Congress (Washington: March 2000) <http://www.state.gov/www/global/arms/fmtrain/toc.html>.
Trainees 2000: United States, Department of Defense, Department of State, Foreign Military Training and DoD Engagement Activities of Interest in Fiscal Years 2000 and 2001: A Report to Congress (Washington: January 2001) <http://www.state.gov/t/pm/rls/rpt/fmtrpt/2001/>.
Trainees 2001: United States, Department of Defense, Department of State, Foreign Military Training and DoD Engagement Activities of Interest in Fiscal Years 2001 and 2002: A Report to Congress (Washington: March 2002) <http://www.state.gov/t/pm/rls/rpt/fmtrpt/2002/>.
Trainees 2002: United States, Department of Defense, Department of State, Foreign Military Training in Fiscal Years 2002 and 2003: Joint Report to Congress (Washington: May 2003).
Trainees 2003: United States, Department of Defense, Department of State, Foreign Military Training in Fiscal Years 2003 and 2004: Joint Report to Congress (Washington: July 2004) <http://www.state.gov/t/pm/rls/rpt/fmtrpt/2004/>.
Trainees 2004: United States, Department of Defense, Department of State, Foreign Military Training in Fiscal Years 2004 and 2005: Joint Report to Congress (Washington: April 2005) <http://www.state.gov/t/pm/rls/rpt/fmtrpt/2005/>.
Economic and Social Assistance 1996: United States, Department of State, Office of Resources, Plans and Policy, Congressional Presentation for Foreign Operations, Fiscal Year 1998 (Washington: March 1997).
Economic and Social Assistance 1997: United States, Department of State, Office of Resources, Plans and Policy, Congressional Presentation for Foreign Operations, Fiscal Year 1999 (Washington: March 1998).
Economic and Social Assistance 1998: United States, Department of State, Office of Resources, Plans and Policy, Congressional Presentation for Foreign Operations, Fiscal Year 2000 (Washington: March 1999).
Economic and Social Assistance 1999: United States, Department of State, Office of Resources, Plans and Policy, Congressional Presentation for Foreign Operations, Fiscal Year 2001 (Washington: March 2000). <http://www.state.gov/www/budget/fy2001/fn150/forops_full/index.html>.
United States, U.S. Agency for International Development, FY 2002 Congressional Budget Justification (Washington, USAID, 2001) <http://www.usaid.gov/pubs/cbj2002/cbj2002_table02a.html>.
Economic and Social Assistance 2000: United States, Department of State, Office of Resources, Plans and Policy, Congressional Presentation for Foreign Operations, Fiscal Year 2002 (Washington: April 2001) <http://www.state.gov/m/rm/rls/cbj/2002/>.
United States, U.S. Agency for International Development, FY 2002 Congressional Budget Justification (Washington, USAID, 2001) <http://www.usaid.gov/pubs/cbj2002/cbj2002_table02a.html>.
Economic and Social Assistance 2001: United States, Department of State, FY 2003 Congressional Budget Justification for Foreign Operations (Washington, DC: Department of State, April 15, 2002) <http://www.state.gov/m/rm/rls/cbj/2003/>.
Economic and Social Assistance 2002: United States, Department of State, FY 2004 Congressional Budget Justification for Foreign Operations (Washington, DC: Department of State, February 2003) <http://www.state.gov/m/rm/rls/cbj/2004/>.
All others: United States, Department of State, Congressional Budget Justifications for Foreign Operations available at <http://www.state.gov/s/d/rm/rls/cbj/>.
United States, Department of Defense, Department of State, Foreign Military Training Reports available at <http://www.state.gov/t/pm/rls/rpt/fmtrpt/>.

 

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