Pro-Government Militias
Ezequiel Zamora Military Front (Venezuela)
Basic Group Information
| Name assigned by coder: | no |
| PGM ID Number: | 454 |
| Country: | Venezuela |
| Date formed: | July 1, 2009 |
| Accuracy of date formed: | month |
| Details of Formation: | The PGM was created through a law reforming the Bolivarian National Armed Force. Based on this law it was then formed mainly by active military and ex-soldiers. The group also profited from the motivation of many patriotic members acknowledging the importance of the creation of a civil militia. |
| Date dissolved: | Unknown |
| Accuracy of date dissolved: | day |
| Details of Termination: | |
| Termination Type(s): | none |
Former and Successor Group Information
| Predecessor group(s): | none |
| Successor group(s): | none |
| Private Military Company? | no |
| Former Group? | no |
| Former Armed Group? | no |
| Former Rebel Group? | no |
| Former Rebel Group UCDP ID: | none |
| PGM Becomes Rebel Group? | no |
| Successor Rebel Group UCDP ID: | none |
Government Relation, Support, and Training
| Government Relation: | semi-official (type 2) |
| Created by the Government?: | yes | Main Creating Government Institution: | military; state (institution) |
| Government Link(s): | state (institution) |
| If link to party, name of party: | |
| Training and Equipment: | no information |
| Shared Information and Joint Operations: | yes |
| Shared Personnel: | no information |
| Type(s) of Material Support: | domestic government |
| State Sponsor(s): | none |
| Other Connection(s): |
Group Characteristics
| Membership: | professional group; ex soldiers |
| Primary Membership: | no information |
| Alternative Primary Membership: | no information |
| Location: | Caracas, Miranda, Lara, Zulia, Anzoátegui and Maturín |
| Force Strength: | [unknown, 600] |
| Target(s): | no information |
| Purpose(s): | protect state, national or religious institutions; intelligence gathering |
Ethnic Characteristics
| Ethnic Target(s): | none |
| Quality of Information for Ethnic Targeting: | not applicable |
| Ethnic Membership: | none |
| Quality of Information for Ethnic Membership: | not applicable |
| Ethnic Purpose: | none |
| Quality of Information for Ethnic Purpose: | not applicable |
Other Information
| Other Information: | The group’s original name in Spanish is “Frente Cívico Militar Bolivariano Ezequiel Zamora (FCMB “EZ”)”. |
New Variables from Meta-Analysis
Purpose
| Purpose: | The stated purpose of the group is to protect social production companies, defend the farmers, instruct the public in the Bolivarian, Zoamoran, revolutionarian and socialist doctrines, provide intelligence and participating in mass mobilizations. |
| Relative Benefit(s) of PGM Use | unknown |
Treatment of Civilians
| Treatment of Civilians: | |
| Type(s) of Violence against Civilians: | unknown |
Reasons for Membership
| PGM Members Coerced? | no information |
| PGM Members Paid? | no information |
| Reasons for Membership: | |
| PGM Members Killed? | no information |
PGM Size
| Size: | In 2010, a news source speaks of 600 members, with an ever increasing number that wants to take part. |
Weapons and Training
| Weapons and Training: | Although the group is not explicitly mentioned to be armed, we use the name of the group and the type of membership as indication of the group being armed. |
Organisation
| Organisation: |
Reference(s) for Meta-Analysis
Evidence
- Examine the evidence for this coding.