The Tortuga was an armored vehicle designed and built in Venezuela in 1934, during the rule of Juan Vicente Gómez. It was assembled at the Puerto Cabello shipyard by Engineer Tomás Pacanins. First displayed at a military parade in the city of Maracay, the vehicle's existence was meant to send a clear message to neighboring Colombia - which had created several border and political incidents since its victory over Perú in the War of the Putumayo - as was the whole parade. On December 23, 1934, the Tortuga was first revealed to the public, in conjunction with two Italian Ansaldo CV 33 infantry tanks.