The Venezuelan NGO Control Ciudadano said this Friday (12) that China remains the country’s main arms supplier, after releasing a new report on the acquisition and incorporation of arms and military material between 2017 and 2021.
“China remains Venezuela’s most important supplier of weapons systems,” the NGO said in the report, based on information released by the Bolivarian National Armed Forces, government spokespersons and publications, as well as military industry releases, press releases of manufacturing companies and others.
The document also notes that Russia remains a supplier and that South Africa joined last year “by selling several 40 mm grenade launchers”, although it does not specify which countries were and which are no longer suppliers.
“The purchases and receipt of military material that were recorded in this report, or at least those that became known, during the period 2017-2021, are much lower than in previous years, which is mainly due to the serious economic crisis that Venezuela has been suffering since 2013,” added the NGO.
He also stressed that “some equipment”, such as “ship radars, portable radios, American, Japanese and Chinese drones are for civilian use” and can be purchased “freely, even through e-commerce companies”, so there are no restrictions which apply to the supply of “military and dual-use material”.
Control Ciudadano also indicated that the largest acquisition of weapons equipment and systems recorded in the report was made by the Navy, the Army, the Bolivarian National Guard (GNB, militarized police) and the Bolivarian Military Aviation.
Finally, the NGO denounced the “secret and opacity” about the budget invested in military purchases, which are made by different public administration bodies.
#China #remains #main #supplier #arms #Venezuela #denounces #NGO