Venezuela still has a civilian national police force nominally charged with maintaining and restoring public order, the force that takes the lead in this area is the Guardia Nacional Bolivariana (GNB: National Guard). In the past a paramilitary police force devoted mainly to policing the borders and rural areas, it is now formally the fourth service of the national armed forces (FANB). It is defined as ‘the principal security force’ and its mission as ‘ensuring the maintenance of internal order and the defence of the democratic exercise of the people’s will [and] contributing with the national, state and municipal to preserve or restore internal order in face of grave social perturbance, upon the decision of the Head of State.’ By law the FANB as a whole is empowered to act as administrative police and conduct penal investigations in special circumstances.End of preview - This article contains approximately 320 words.
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