The navies of Brazil, Colombia, and Peru meet every year between July and September to carry out combined, protocol activities and strengthen ties as part of the exercise BRACOLPER, which this year celebrated its 47th edition.
“The participation of the three navies in this BRACOLPER naval operational exercise strengthen interoperability, seeking the development of the region,” Brazilian Navy Vice Admiral Thadeu Marcos Orosco Coelho Lobo, head of the 9th Naval District, said. “It is an honor to participate in this operation now that Brazil is celebrating 200 years of independence.”
The main objective of BRACOLPER 2022 is to conduct naval exercises in the rivers and tributaries of the Amazon rainforest, to promote knowledge and experienceexchanges between the Brazilian, Colombian, and Peruvian navies, improve procedures, and raise the level of training of crews. The exercise seeks to effectively develop combined operations to strengthen the fight against transnational crimes on their borders, such as narcotrafficking, illegal mining, and human trafficking.
BRACOLPER has three phases in whichsome 400 military personnel participate, covering more than 5,000 kilometers along the rivers of the Amazon. The first phase took place between Leticia, Colombia, and Iquitos, Peru; the second between Iquitos and Leticia; and the third took place at the beginning of September, when the Colombian and Peruvian vessels arrived in Manaus, Brazil. During this period, more than 15 exercises were carried out, such as naval formations, vessel approaches, line transfers, day and night visual communication, and tactical communication.
Brazil participated with the river patrol vessels Raposo Tavares and Ronônia, and the hospital assistance vessel Oswaldo Cruz; Colombia participated with the heavy river patrol vessel ARC TECIM Eddic Cristian Reyes Holguín; Peru participated with the BAP Clavero and BAP Castillariver gunboats.
“Rest assured that the [Colombian] Navy, the Peruvian Navy, and the Brazilian Navy are always looking out for the security of the triple border, reducing all the factors of instability that may arise in the region,”Colombian Navy Vice Admiral Harry Ernesto Reyna, commander of the Southern Naval Force, told Diálogo.
“This operation BRACOLPER 2022 means a lot not only to the three navies, but also tothe three countries, because of the strength that we are developing in being able to provide deterrent security and also social support to the populations that share a border in this great region of the Amazon,”said Peruvian Navy Vice Admiral Javier Bravo De Rueda Bravo, commander of Amazon Operations.
Independence celebrations
BRACOLPER 2022 coincided with independence celebrations of the three participating countries: Colombia on July 20, Peru on July 28, and Brazil on September 7.
On July 24, the Colombian Navy celebrated its 199th anniversary and held a naval parade with the participation of the Brazilian and Peruvian navies, joined by the Colombian Navy’s ARC Rey, ARC Leticia,and ARC Joyss, also commemorating the 212th anniversary of Colombia’sindependence.
Peru celebrated 201 years of independence, with a commemorative act on July 28 that culminated with a parade in honor of the Armed Forces, National Police, Volunteer Fire Brigade, as well as the delegations ofthe Brazilian Navy and the Colombian Navythat participated in BRACOLPER.
Brazil celebrated its 200 years of independence on September 7, and BRACOLPER 2022, which was being carried out in the Solimões and Negro rivers, was a great occasion to celebrate in the company of sister navies.
BRACOLPER continues to be an example in the hemisphere of the excellent relations between the naval forces of these nations, which are committed to strengthening their ties of cooperation in security and defense, for the well-being of their citizens.
