Brazil's Constitution of 1988 with Amendments through 2015

207 Pages·2017·0.73 MB·English

PDF generated: 28 Apr 2022, 17:42
constituteproject.org
Brazil's Constitution of 1988 with
Amendments through 2015
© Keith S. Rosenn
This complete constitution has been generated from excerpts of texts from the repository of the Comparative
Constitutions Project, and distributed on constituteproject.org.
constituteproject.org PDF generated: 28 Apr 2022, 17:42
Table of contents
Preamble ..............................................................................6
TITLE I. FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES ..................................................6
Art 1 ................................................................................. 6
Art 2 ................................................................................. 6
Art 3 ................................................................................. 6
Art 4 ................................................................................. 7
TITLE II. FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS AND GUARANTEES .................................7
CHAPTER I. INDIVIDUAL AND COLLECTIVE RIGHTS AND DUTIES ............................. 7
CHAPTER II. SOCIAL RIGHTS ............................................................12
CHAPTER III. NATIONALITY .............................................................15
CHAPTER IV. POLITICAL RIGHTS ........................................................ 16
CHAPTER V. POLITICAL PARTIES ........................................................ 17
TITLE III. ORGANIZATION OF THE STATE .............................................17
CHAPTER I. POLITICAL-ADMINISTRATIVE ORGANIZATION ..................................17
CHAPTER II. THE UNION ............................................................... 18
CHAPTER III. THE FEDERATED STATES ................................................... 23
CHAPTER IV. THE COUNTIES ............................................................24
CHAPTER V. THE FEDERAL DISTRICT AND THE TERRITORIES ................................27
CHAPTER VI. INTERVENTION ...........................................................28
CHAPTER VII. PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION ................................................. 29
TITLE IV. ORGANIZATION OF THE BRANCHES ....................................... 36
CHAPTER I. THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH .................................................. 36
CHAPTER II. THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH ................................................... 49
CHAPTER III. THE JUDICIARY ........................................................... 54
CHAPTER IV. POSITIONS ESSENTIAL TO JUSTICE ...........................................71
TITLE V. DEFENSE OF THE STATE AND DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTIONS .................75
CHAPTER I. STATE OF DEFENSE AND STATE OF SIEGE ...................................... 75
CHAPTER II. ARMED FORCES ........................................................... 77
CHAPTER III. PUBLIC SECURITY ......................................................... 79
TITLE VI. TAXATION AND BUDGET ...................................................80
CHAPTER I. NATIONAL TRIBUTARY SYSTEM ...............................................80
CHAPTER II. PUBLIC FINANCE ...........................................................89
TITLE VII. ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL ORDER ..................................... 94
CHAPTER I. GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF ECONOMIC ACTIVITY ................................ 94
CHAPTER II. URBAN POLICY ............................................................ 97
CHAPTER III. AGRICULTURAL LAND POLICY AND AGRARIAN REFORM ........................ 98
CHAPTER IV. THE NATIONAL FINANCIAL SYSTEM ..........................................99
TITLE VIII. THE SOCIAL ORDER ..................................................... 100
CHAPTER I. GENERAL PROVISIONS .....................................................100
CHAPTER II. SOCIAL SECURITY .........................................................100
CHAPTER III. EDUCATION, CULTURE AND SPORTS ........................................ 105
CHAPTER IV. SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, AND INNOVATION ................................. 110
CHAPTER V. SOCIAL COMMUNICATION .................................................111
CHAPTER VI. THE ENVIRONMENT ......................................................112
CHAPTER VII. FAMILY, CHILDREN, ADOLESCENTS, YOUTHS, AND ELDERLY ...................113
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CHAPTER VIII. INDIANS ...............................................................115
TITLE IX. GENERAL CONSTITUTIONAL PROVISIONS ................................115
Art 233 .............................................................................116
Art 234 .............................................................................116
Art 235 .............................................................................116
Art 236 .............................................................................117
Art 237 .............................................................................117
Art 238 .............................................................................117
Art 239 .............................................................................117
Art 240 .............................................................................118
Art 241 .............................................................................118
Art 242 .............................................................................118
Art 243 .............................................................................118
Art 244 .............................................................................118
Art 245 .............................................................................118
Art 246 .............................................................................118
Art 247 .............................................................................119
Art 248 .............................................................................119
Art 249 .............................................................................119
Art 250 .............................................................................119
THE TRANSITIONAL CONSTITUTIONAL PROVISIONS ACT 1988 ....................119
Art 1 ............................................................................... 119
Art 2 ............................................................................... 119
Art 3 ............................................................................... 120
Art 4 ............................................................................... 120
Art 5 ............................................................................... 120
Art 6 ............................................................................... 120
Art 7 ............................................................................... 121
Art 8 ............................................................................... 121
Art 9 ............................................................................... 121
Art 10 ..............................................................................121
Art 11 ..............................................................................122
Art 12 ..............................................................................122
Art 13 ..............................................................................123
Art 14 ..............................................................................123
Art 15 ..............................................................................124
Art 16 ..............................................................................124
Art 17 ..............................................................................124
Art 18 ..............................................................................124
Art 19 ..............................................................................124
Art 20 ..............................................................................125
Art 21 ..............................................................................125
Art 22 ..............................................................................125
Art 23 ..............................................................................125
Art 24 ..............................................................................125
Art 25 ..............................................................................125
Art 26 ..............................................................................126
Art 27 ..............................................................................126
Art 28 ..............................................................................127
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Art 29 ..............................................................................127
Art 30 ..............................................................................127
Art 31 ..............................................................................127
Art 32 ..............................................................................128
Art 33 ..............................................................................128
Art 34 ..............................................................................128
Art 35 ..............................................................................129
Art 36 ..............................................................................129
Art 37 ..............................................................................130
Art 38 ..............................................................................130
Art 39 ..............................................................................130
Art 40 ..............................................................................130
Art 41 ..............................................................................130
Art 42 ..............................................................................130
Art 43 ..............................................................................131
Art 44 ..............................................................................131
Art 45 ..............................................................................131
Art 46 ..............................................................................131
Art 47 ..............................................................................132
Art 48 ..............................................................................132
Art 49 ..............................................................................132
Art 50 ..............................................................................133
Art 51 ..............................................................................133
Art 52 ..............................................................................133
Art 53 ..............................................................................133
Art 54 ..............................................................................134
Art 54-A ............................................................................134
Art 55 ..............................................................................134
Art 56 ..............................................................................134
Art 57 ..............................................................................134
Art 58 ..............................................................................135
Art 59 ..............................................................................135
Art 60 ..............................................................................135
Art 61 ..............................................................................137
Art 62 ..............................................................................137
Art 63 ..............................................................................138
Art 64 ..............................................................................138
Art 65 ..............................................................................138
Art 66 ..............................................................................138
Art 67 ..............................................................................138
Art 68 ..............................................................................138
Art 69 ..............................................................................138
Art 70 ..............................................................................138
Art 71 ..............................................................................139
Art 72 ..............................................................................139
Art 73 ..............................................................................140
Art 74 ..............................................................................140
Art 75 ..............................................................................140
Art 76 ..............................................................................140
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Art 77 ..............................................................................141
Art 78 ..............................................................................141
Art 79 ..............................................................................142
Art 80 ..............................................................................142
Art 81 ..............................................................................142
Art 82 ..............................................................................143
Art 83 ..............................................................................143
Art 84 ..............................................................................143
Art 85 ..............................................................................143
Art 86 ..............................................................................144
Art 87 ..............................................................................144
Art 88 ..............................................................................145
Art 89 ..............................................................................145
Art 90 ..............................................................................145
Art 91 ..............................................................................145
Art 92 ..............................................................................146
Art 92-A ............................................................................146
Art 93 ..............................................................................146
Art 94 ..............................................................................146
Art 95 ..............................................................................146
Art 96 ..............................................................................146
Art 97 ..............................................................................146
Art 98 ..............................................................................149
Art 99 ..............................................................................149
Art 100 .............................................................................150
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Translated by Keith S. Rosenn
Source of constitutional authority Preamble
God or other deities
Preamble
Reference to fraternity/solidarity
Motives for writing constitution
We the representatives of the Brazilian People, convened the National Constituent
Assembly, to institute a democratic state destined to ensure the exercise of social and
individual rights, liberty, security, well-being, development, equality and justice as
supreme values of a fraternal, pluralist and unprejudiced society, founded on social
harmony and committed, in the domestic and international orders, to the peaceful
solution of disputes, promulgate, under the protection of God, the following
CONSTITUTION OF THE FEDERATIVE REPUBLIC OF BRAZIL.
TITLE I. FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES
Type of government envisioned Art 1
The Federative Republic of Brazil, formed by the indissoluble union of States and
Counties (municípios), as well as the Federal District, is a Democratic State of Law
founded upon:
I. sovereignty;
II. citizenship;
III. human dignity;
Human dignity
IV. social values of work and free initiative;
V. political pluralism.
Sole Paragraph
All power emanates from the people, who exercise it through elected representatives or
directly, according to this Constitution.
Claim of executive independence Art 2
Judicial independence
The branches of the Union are the Legislative, the Executive and the Judiciary, which
are independent and harmonious with each other.
Art 3
The fundamental objectives of the Federative Republic of Brazil are:
I. to build a free, just and uni�ed society;
II. to guarantee national development;
III. to eradicate poverty and substandard living conditions and to reduce social and
Mentions of social class regional inequalities;
Right to reasonable standard of living
IV. to promote the well-being of all, without prejudice as to origin, race, sex, color,
Equality regardless of gender age and any other forms of discrimination.
General guarantee of equality
Equality regardless of skin color
Equality regardless of origin
Equality regardless of age
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Equality regardless of race
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Art 4
The international relations of the Federative Republic of Brazil are governed by the
following principles:
I. national independence;
II. prevalence of human rights;
III. self-determination of peoples;
Right to self determination
IV. non-intervention;
V. equality among States;
VI. defense of peace;
VII. peaceful solution of con�icts;
VIII. repudiation of terrorism and racism;
Terrorism
IX. cooperation among people for the progress of humanity;
X. concession of political asylum.
Protection of stateless persons
Regional group(s) Sole Paragraph
The Federative Republic of Brazil shall seek the economic, political, social and cultural
integration of the people of Latin America, with a view toward forming a Latin-American
community of nations.
TITLE II. FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS AND
GUARANTEES
CHAPTER I. INDIVIDUAL AND COLLECTIVE RIGHTS AND
DUTIES
General guarantee of equality Art 5
Inalienable rights Everyone is equal before the law, with no distinction whatsoever, guaranteeing to
Right to life Brazilians and foreigners residing in the Country the inviolability of the rights to life,
liberty, equality, security and property, on the following terms:
I. men and women have equal rights and duties under the terms of this
Equality regardless of gender Constitution;
II. no one shall be compelled to do or refrain from doing something except by force
Principle of no punishment without law of law;
III. no one shall be submitted to torture or to inhuman or degrading treatment;
Prohibition of cruel treatment
Prohibition of torture IV. manifestation of thought is free, but anonymity is forbidden;
Freedom of expression
V. the right of reply is assured, in proportion to the offense, as well as compensation
Right to protect one's reputation for pecuniary or moral damages or damages to reputation;
VI. freedom of conscience and belief is inviolable, assuring free exercise of religious
Freedom of opinion/thought/conscience beliefs and guaranteeing, as set forth in law, protection of places of worship and
Freedom of religion their rites;
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VII. providing religious assistance at civilian and military establishments for collective
con�nement is assured, as provided by law;
VIII. no one shall be deprived of any rights because of religious beliefs or philosophical
Freedom of religion or political convictions, unless invoked in order to be exempted from a legal
Freedom of opinion/thought/conscience obligation imposed upon all by one refusing to perform an alternative service
established by law;
IX. expression of intellectual, artistic, scienti�c, and communication activity is free,
Freedom of press independent of any censorship or license;
Freedom of expression
X. personal intimacy, private life, honor and reputation are inviolable, guaranteeing
RReigfhetr eton cper itvoa sccyience the right to compensation for pecuniary or moral damages resulting from the
RReigfhetr eton cper otote acrt tone's reputation violation thereof;
XI. the home is the individual's inviolable asylum, and no one may enter it without
Right to privacy the dweller's consent, except in cases of �agrante delicto, disaster or rescue, or,
Regulation of evidence collection during the day, with a court order;
XII. secrecy of correspondence and of telegraphic, data and telephonic
Regulation of evidence collection communications is inviolable, except, in the latter case, by court order, in the
Telecommunications situations and manner established by law for purposes of criminal investigation
or the fact-�nding phase of a criminal prosecution;
Right to privacy
XIII. exercise of any job, trade or profession is free, observing the professional
Right to choose occupation quali�cations that the law establishes;
XIV. access to information is assured to everyone, protecting the con�dentiality of
Right to information sources when necessary for professional activity;
XV. movement within the national territory is free in peacetime, and any person may,
Freedom of movement as provided by law, enter, remain or leave with his or her assets;
XVI. all persons may hold peaceful meetings, without weapons, in places open to the
Freedom of assembly public, without need for authorization, so long as they do not interfere with
another meeting previously called for the same place, subject only to prior notice
to the proper authority;
XVII. there is total freedom of association for lawful purposes, but any paramilitary
Freedom of association association is prohibited;
XVIII. creation of associations and, as set forth in law, of cooperatives, requires no
Freedom of association authorization, prohibiting state interference in their operations;
XIX. associations may be compulsorily dissolved or their activities suspended only by
Freedom of association a judicial decision, which in the former case must be a �nal and unappealable
decision (trânsito em julgado);
XX. no one can be compelled to join an association or to remain in one;
Freedom of association
XXI. when expressly authorized, associations have standing to represent their
Freedom of association members judicially and extrajudicially;
XXII. the right of property is guaranteed;
Right to own property
XXIII. property shall comply with its social function;
XXIV. the law shall establish procedures for expropriation for public necessity or use, or
Protection from expropriation for social interest, upon just and prior compensation in cash, with the exception of
cases provided for in this Constitution;
XXV. in the event of imminent public danger, the proper authority may use private
Protection from expropriation property, assuring the owner subsequent compensation in case of damage;
XXVI. small rural property, as de�ned by law, whenever worked by a family, shall not be
subject to attachment for payment of debts stemming from its productive
activities, and the law shall provide for ways to �nance its development;
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XXVII. authors own the exclusive rights to use, publish or reproduce their own works,
Provisions for intellectual property and such rights may be transmitted to their heirs for a period �xed by law;
XXVIII. the following are assured, as provided by law:
Provisions for intellectual property
a. protection of individual participation in collective works and reproduction
of human voices and images, including in sports activities;
b. the right of creators, performers and their respective syndicates and
associations to monitor the economic utilization of works that they create
or in which they participate;
XXIX. the law shall assure inventors of industrial inventions a temporary privilege for
Provisions for intellectual property their use, as well as the protection of industrial creations, the ownership of
trademarks, company names and other distinctive signs, taking into account
social interests and the technological and economic development of the Country;
XXX. the right of inheritance is guaranteed;
Right to transfer property
XXXI. inheritance of foreigners' assets located in the Country shall be governed by
Brazilian law, for the bene�t of the Brazilian spouse or children, whenever the
personal law of the deceased is not more favorable to them;
XXXII. the State shall provide for consumer protection, in accordance with the law;
Protection of consumers
XXXIII. all persons have the right to receive from public agencies information in their
Right to information private interest or of collective or general interest; such information shall be
furnished within the period established by law, under penalty of liability, except
for information whose secrecy is essential to the security of society and of the
National Government;
XXXIV. all persons are guaranteed, without the payment of fees:
a. the right to petition public authorities in defense of rights or against
Ultra-vires administrative actions illegality or abuse of power;
Right of petition
b. obtaining certi�cates from government of�ces for defense of rights and
clari�cation of situations of personal interest;
XXXV. the law may not exclude from review by the Judiciary any injury or threat to a
right;
XXXVI. no law may impair a vested right, a perfected juristic act or res judicata;
XXXVII. there shall be no exceptional courts or tribunals;
XXXVIII. the institution of the jury is recognized, with the organization given to it by law,
Jury trials required assuring;
a. full defense;
b. secret voting;
c. sovereignty of verdicts;
d. jurisdiction to judge willful crimes against life;
XXXIX. there are no crimes unless de�ned in prior law, nor are there any penalties unless
Principle of no punishment without law previously imposed by law;
Protection from ex post facto laws
XL. the criminal law shall not be retroactive, except to bene�t the defendant;
Protection from ex post facto laws
XLI. the law shall punish any discrimination attacking fundamental rights and liberties;
XLII. the practice of racism is a non-bailable crime not subject to the statute of
limitations and is punishable by imprisonment, as provided by law;
XLIII. the law shall regard as crimes not subject to bail, clemency or amnesty, the
Terrorism practice of torture, illicit traf�cking in narcotics and similar drugs, terrorism, and
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XLIII. those crimes de�ned as heinous; liable for these crimes are those giving the
commands, those executing these commands, and those who, although able to
avoid the crimes, fail to do so;
XLIV. actions of civilian or military armed groups against the constitutional order and
the Democratic State are non-bailable crimes for which the statute of limitations
never runs;
XLV. no punishment shall extend beyond the person convicted, but liability for
damages and a decree of loss of assets may, as provided by law, extend to
successors and be enforced against them up to the limit of the value of the assets
transferred;
XLVI. the law shall regulate individualization of punishment and shall adopt, inter alia
the following:
a. deprivation or restriction of liberty;
b. loss of property;
c. �ne;
d. alternative social service;
e. suspension or deprivation of rights;
XLVII. there shall be no penalties:
a. of death, except in case of declared war, in the terms of art. 84, XIX;
Prohibition of capital punishment
b. of perpetual character;
c. of forced labor;
Prohibition of slavery
d. of banishment;
e. that are cruel;
Prohibition of cruel treatment
XLVIII. sentences shall be served in separate establishments, according to the nature of
Privileges for juveniles in criminal process the offense, and age and sex of the convict;
XLIX. prisoners are assured respect for their physical and moral integrity;
L. female prisoners shall be assured conditions that allow them to remain with their
children during the nursing period;
LI. no Brazilian shall be extradited, except for a naturalized Brazilian for a common
Extradition procedure crime committed prior to naturalization, or proven involvement in unlawful traf�c
in narcotics and similar drugs, as provided by law;
LII. no foreigner shall be extradited for a political or ideological offense;
Extradition procedure
LIII. no one shall be tried or sentenced other than by a proper authority;
LIV. no one shall be deprived of liberty or property without due process of law;
Guarantee of due process
LV. litigants in judicial or administrative proceedings and defendants in general are
Right to fair trial assured an adversary system and a full defense, with the measures and
recourses inherent therein;
LVI. evidence obtained through unlawful means is inadmissible in proceedings;
Regulation of evidence collection
LVII. no one shall be considered guilty until his criminal conviction has become �nal and
Presumption of innocence in trials non-appealable;
Right to appeal judicial decisions
LVIII. a civilly identi�ed person shall not be submitted to criminal identi�cation, except
in cases provided by law;
LIX. private prosecution for crimes subject to public prosecution (crimes de ação
pública) shall be permitted if a public prosecution is not brought within the period
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