Paraguay - Infantería de Marina
Cuerpo de Defensa Fluvial
Bolivia and Paraguay are the two land-locked countries in South America. Both of these landlocked countries have access to the ocean along wide navigable rivers, both have navies, and both have marine corps. The Paraguayan Marine Corps’ mission is to provide internal security, defend inland waterways, perform counter-smuggling operations, and provide border security.
The Paraguayan Marine Corps had approximately 500 active duty members and 300 reservists. As of late 1988, naval personnel numbered some 3,150, of whom approximately one-third were conscripts. These included personnel assigned to the fleet, to naval aviation, and to a battalion of marines, as well as members of the coast guard and the harbor and port police. The 500-strong marine battalion included both a regular and a commando regiment. It was headquartered at Puerto Sajonía, but most personnel were stationed on the upper Paraguay at Bahía Negra and Fuerte Olimpo.
The Marine Corps is subordinate to the Naval General Staff. The Naval General Staff is commanded by the Commander in Chief of the Navy, who is directly subordinate to the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed forces. The Paraguayan Marine Corps consists of four active batalliones infanteria marine (Marine infantry battalions – BIMs), two reserve BIMs, and a commando BIM. The commando BIM is likely company-size and is capable of independent or joint operations with other Paraguay special forces.
- BIM 1 Puerto Rosario
- BIM 2 Puerto Vallemi
- BIM 3 Asunción
- BIM 5 Bahia Negra - Detachments at Pozo Hondo and Ita-Pirú
- BIM 8 Saltos del Guairá - Detachments at Ciudad del Este and Encarnación
As of 2011 Janes reported that the 900 strong Cuerpo de Defensa Fluvial (River Defence Corps) was organised into an HQ at Puerto Sanjonia, a Marine Infantry Regiment of three under-strength "battalions" : BIM 2 (Bahia Negra), BIM 5 (HQ Bahia Negra, with detachments at Pozo Hondo and Ita-Pirú) and BIM 8 (HQ Saltos del Guairá, with detachments at Ciudad del Este and Encarnación). There was also a Combat Support Unit and a Service Support Unit. BIM 2 (Bahia Negra)BIM 5 (Bahia Negra with detachments at Pozo Hondo and Ita-Piru BIM 8 (Saltos del Guaira with detachments at Ciudad del Este and Encarnacion). The headquarters (Puerto Sajonia) and the security elements at Naval headquarters (Asuncion) formed the cadres of the two reserve battalions (BIM 1 and BIM 3 ). The force was mostly deployed on the upper Paraguay river between Bahia Negra and Olimpo and at Saltos del Guairá, Ciudad del Este and Encarnación on the Parana river.
The Marine Corps traced its history to the War against the Triple Alliance, in December 1864 when Expeditionary Forces under the command of Colonel. Vicente Barrios, disembarking in Fort Coimbra low-Brasil, considered the first action landing in military operations in the Independent Paraguay. In February 1869, the Mcal. Francisco Solano Lopez ordered the establishment of the Marine Battalion No.1 "Lobsters". In May 1935, during the Chaco War, by General Order of the Commander in Chief of the Army in the Chaco, the Regiment Marines "STREAM" is constituted, to garrison the northern sector of theater, with seat Bahía Negra. By Decree of the General Organization of the Armed Forces of the Nation, in September 1942, it is set as Unit Marine Corps river DEFENSE, under the Command of the Navy in May 1989 by General Order Command Chief of the Armed Forces of the Nation, renamed COMMAND Marines.
Their equipment included riverine patrol and amphibious assault boats. Naval helicopters provide air support. Marine Corps through its components Combat Units is constantly in the pursuit of excellence in the training of its members to the good professional performance of its functions, parallel to the basic instruction IM, and operational services which it is being assigned. Service members receive basic training in weapons handling, patrolling, formations, radio procedures, and Paraguay’s history. There is little follow-on training after basic training After a year of service Marine conscripts can attend specific schools such as parachuting, explosive ordinance handling, and jungle operations. Navy and Marine Corps officers attend schools in Argentina for advanced training and may also attend the Armyrun Command and Staff School in Asunción.
The Paraguayan Marine Corps is limited by budgetary constraints, and a lack of training opportunities hampers their efficiency.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
