Pro-Government Militias
Francisco Miranda Front (Venezuela)
Basic Group Information
| Name assigned by coder: | no |
| PGM ID Number: | 456 |
| Country: | Venezuela |
| Date formed: | June 19, 2003 |
| Accuracy of date formed: | day |
| Details of Formation: | The group was created in Havana by Hugo Chavez and Fidel Castro on this date. |
| 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: | informal (type 1) |
| Created by the Government?: | yes | Main Creating Government Institution: | person/minister |
| Government Link(s): | person/minister |
| If link to party, name of party: | |
| Training and Equipment: | yes |
| Shared Information and Joint Operations: | yes |
| Shared Personnel: | no information |
| Type(s) of Material Support: | domestic government; Foreign government; foreign support |
| State Sponsor(s): | Cuba |
| Other Connection(s): | Leftist Colombian guerrillas |
Group Characteristics
| Membership: | ideology |
| Primary Membership: | ideological |
| Alternative Primary Membership: | no information |
| Location: | |
| Force Strength: | [15000, 20000] |
| Target(s): | unarmed political opposition, government critics |
| Purpose(s): | protect state, national or religious institutions; protect state, national or religious leader(s) |
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: |
New Variables from Meta-Analysis
Purpose
| Purpose: | The group’s main stated purpose is to further Chávez’s Bolivarian revolution. Chávez founded it according to his vision of a revolution which needs social and energetic actors in the population. |
| Relative Benefit(s) of PGM Use | unknown |
Treatment of Civilians
| Treatment of Civilians: | The Francisco Miranda Front has been involved in several violent attacks on president’s critics. |
| Type(s) of Violence against Civilians: | unknown |
Reasons for Membership
| PGM Members Coerced? | no information |
| PGM Members Paid? | no |
| Reasons for Membership: | The members are motivated by ideology. |
| PGM Members Killed? | no information |
PGM Size
| Size: | In 2006, the group was reported to have 15,000 members, and until 2014 this number had grown to more than 20,000. |
Weapons and Training
| Weapons and Training: | The Francisco Miranda Front is equipped with Kalashnikovs and members are trained in the use of light and heavy weaponry and use of explosives. They received ideological training in Cuba. In Venezuela they were instructed by the Venezuelan government, Cuban military advisors and Colombian FARC rebels in doctrine and guerilla tactics. |
Organisation
| Organisation: | The group has direct ties to president Maduro. |
Reference(s) for Meta-Analysis
Evidence
- Examine the evidence for this coding.