Guatemala Navy / Fuerzas de Mar

The navy, established in 1959, is the junior service, created primarily for antismuggling operations and the prevention of incursions into Guatemalan waters by foreign fishing vessels. The navy was in fact the country's coast guard and does not have oceangoing responsibilities or capabilities.

The Forces de Mar [Maritime Force] is constituted by the Navy of the National Defense [Marina de la Defensa Nacional] and bases its performance on the Constitution of the Republic, current military, civil and maritime legislation, as well as all national and international agreements and treaties signed and ratified by the State of Guatemala.

It is in charge of the naval power of Guatemala, which by definition consists of all those resources and military means of a State at sea, which are used in national defense and contribute to the security and development of the country. It is the armed wing of the State at sea. Naval power is the ability to dissuade and coerce to support national maritime interests.

The mission is to ensure national sovereignty in the Territorial Sea, Contiguous Zone, Exclusive Economic Zone, inland waters, Lakes and rivers of the Republic, exercising control over maritime borders in order to contribute, together with the forces of Earth and Air, to ensure national defense.

The National Defense Navy's mission is to guard the jurisdictional aquatic spaces of the State of Guatemala, protect the interests of Guatemalans at sea, and is currently the only state institution with the capacity to guarantee respect for rights at sea And to project state policies in the oceanic, maritime, lacustrine and fluvial spaces of the national geography.

For the accomplishment of the mission it is acted in three areas of mission

1. Naval Defense: Facing the external threats that using the waterways impact negatively on the security of the national territory and that of its citizens.
2. Naval Safeguard: Protecting human life at sea, promoting safe navigation, contributing to the protection of both the marine environment and marine resources, heritage of Guatemalans.
3. Maritime Authority: In the exercise of the functions that Guatemala has given to this noble institution in maritime competences as flag State, port State and coastal State; Ensuring compliance with national and international regulations on ships, vessels and naval artefacts.

The Navy of the National Defense fulfills the mission through armed arm in the sea conformed by the fleets of Coast Guard, fleets of fast boats, naval police and marine infantry deployed in the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean, under the command and Control of Naval Commands, Special Naval Force and Navy Infantry Brigade, to provide security in jurisdictional aquatic spaces.

The modernization of the National Defense Navy is based on the human resource, whose training, professionalisation, specialization and technification under the criteria of academic excellence is carried out by the Naval School of Guatemala, a leading institution in maritime education National, extending its coverage to the merchant, fishing and port areas.