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Venezuela - Coat of Arms

From <movies.acmecity.com>

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Venezuela

The wheatsheaf in the first quarter (dexter chief) has 20 ears of wheat standing for the 20 states who made up Venezuela when the CoA was designed. The scroll joining the olive and palm branches has the following texts:

19 de Abril de 1.810 20 de Febrero de 1.959
Independencia Federacion
Republica de Venezuela

Source: <homes.acmecity.com>
Dov Gutterman (translated by Santiago Dotor), 15 June 1999

The coat of arms is strictly regulated. It can be used only by the State authorities on their stationery. As I know it (this is an empirical account, I have not checked the law yet), the President, the Presidents ofthe Parliamentary Chambers and Chief Justice, use a multicolor coat of arms (engraved) on theirs. Ministers, Comptroller's Officer, State Defensor,General Attorney, Commanders of the Armed Forces (among others) use a golden (engraved) coat of arms on their stationery; and MP's, Ministerial directors, Heads of Departments, Presidentially Appointed Heads of Comissions and medium army officers use a white (engraved) coat of arms.Other state officers use a printed white coat of arms with a black contourtraced around its components, in flat paper. Civil Society cannot use theCoA whasoever (although it is printed on mugs, t-shirts, posters, caps,stickers and so on...). Oddly enough, I have seen a Venezuelan CoA with a Princely Crown replacing the two Cornucopias with flowers. Never in Venezuela's history we have been a monarchy or a principate. The CoA with the crown I saw was on, get this, a souvenir ashtray !!!
Guillermo Aveledo , 24 September 1999

The current Law for the National Flag, Coat of Armas and Anthem (1954; when Venezuela changed back its name form the United States of Venezuela, to the Republic of Venezuela) states (after a loose translation and some of my pointers):
"Art. 9.- The Coat of Arms of the Republic will carry on its field the colours of the national flag on its three cantons: The upper right canton will be red and it will contain the figure of a bundle of weath branches, as a symbol of the union of the Republic's States and of the wealth of the nation. The upper left canton will be yellow and, as a triumphant emblem, it will bear weapons [three spears and two swords] and two national flags, tightened by a lauril crown. The third, lower canton will be blue (and with a green bottom) and it will hold the figure of a brave and untamed horse, white, with its head turned to the right, as an emblem for Independence and Liberty.
The Coat of Arms will have as headpiece, as symbols of abundance, two down-facing cornucopias intercrossed around the middle, both filled with abundant tropical fruits. On its sides, the Coat of Arms will bear an olive branch (right side; it has been suggested lately to change this for a coffe tree branch) and a palm tree branch (left side) tied at the bottom side of the shield by a tricolour ribbon (yellow, blue and red). Inside the blue stripe of the ribbon the following captions will read: to the right, "19 DE ABRIL DE 1810","INDEPENDENCIA"; to the left "20 de febrero de 1859", "FEDERATION", and to its centre, "REPUBLICA DE VENEZUELA"."

A NOTE: As you can see, the Venezuelan CoA bears the name of "República de Venezuela" as our country has its current official denomination standing. After the vote of the referendum on Dec 15 we will see if the proposed name change for the country will get to our CoA (expectedly, in the case of a victory for the YES vote, we will change it; the proposed name is "República Bolivariana de Venezuela" after one of our founding fathers, Simon Bolivar). As a precedent, when we had our last name change (due to the deep transformation of the political structure of the State, and not because of some historical myth), back in 1953 (near the drafting of the law previously quoted), the CoAs which were bearers of the previous name (United States of Venezuela) would be equally valid in legal terms until the printed supplies of them were to run out. We asume the same would happen now.
Guillermo Aveledo , 24 November 1999

Here ia a new version of the Venezuelan CoA (right colours)
Guillermo Aveledo , 13 January 2000

Some time ago we discussed the possibility of a new flag of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (the eigth star, see Proposal for a New Flag for Venezuela). However, it is possible that a silent change of the CoA and hence of the flag has happened. According to last issue of Vexilologie, the CoA with the new name of state ("Rep'ublica Bolivariana de Venezuela") and with a higher number of golden ears (23? - compatible with the new number of states, higher than traditional 20) has been published, although there is no new CoA/flag law.
Jan Zrzavy, 5 Febuary 2002

As you know, Venezuela has a new official name since 1999 when the current Constitution was approved. But, the effective "Ley de Bandera, Escudo e Himno Nacionales" (Law of National Flag, Coat of Arms and Anthem) dates from 1954. The Constitution establishes in its Article 8 that the National Flag with the colors yellow, blue and red; the National Anthem "Glory to the Brave People" and the Coat of Arms of the Republic are the Symbols of the Homeland. The Law will regulate its characteristics, meanings and uses. Because the Constitution subadds to the respective Law its characteristics, meanings and uses, our National Symbols cannot be modified but by another Law different of the one from 1954. Therefore and officially, the Venezuelan Flag maintains its seven stars and the National CoA, its twenty ears and the inscription "Republica de Venezuela" (Republic of Venezuela). Certainly, some particulars have tried to change by their own risk some reproductions and representations of Our National Flag and CoA; but, as you can infer, are considered arbitrary and unofficial modifications without any legal character.
Raul Jesus Orta Pardo, 6 Febuary 2002

The following is from the website of the Embassy of Venezuela:
1936 - It is decided that the bands of colour be the same width, and the Coat of Arms be placed on the upper left hand corner. The Coat of Arms is partitioned into three sections: yellow, blue, and red. The red section shows a sheaf of wheat, symbolizing the union of the Venezuelan States. The yellow section has two crossed swords and two flags entwined by a laurel wreath, as an emblem of victory; the third section occupying the entire lower half of the emblem, contains an indomitable white horse, the symbol of freedom and independence. The cornucopias and a ribbon with the colours of the flag uniting the laurel and olive branches bears the following inscription: "República de Venezuela; Independencia, 19 de abril de 1810; Federación, 20 de febrero de 1859."
Source: <www.embavenez-us.org>
German Hernandez, 27 January 2003