# Law No. 3703 of December 24, 1959

> Brazilian law

**Wikidata**: [Q105648828](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q105648828)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/law-no-3703-of-december-24-1959

## Summary
**Law No. 3703 of December 24, 1959** is a Brazilian statute enacted to provide emergency financial aid of CR$ 42,000,000.00 to riverine populations in the states of Amazonas and Mato Grosso who were victims of floods. The law was promulgated by President Juscelino Kubitschek through the Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil and is classified as a special budgetary adjustment. It was published in Rio de Janeiro on the same date it was approved.

## Key Facts
- **Official Title:** Lei nº 3703, de 24 de dezembro de 1959.
- **Type of Legal Instrument:** Statute (formal written document that creates law).
- **Date of Promulgation/Publication:** December 24, 1959.
- **Approving Authority:** Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil (promulgated by President Juscelino Kubitschek).
- **Jurisdiction:** Brazil (Federative Republic of Brazil).
- **Language:** Brazilian Portuguese.
- **Primary Subject:** Special budgetary adjustment ("Credito Especial") to allocate funds.
- **Purpose:** Grant financial aid ("Auxilio Financeiro") of CR$ 42,000,000.00 to flood victims.
- **Beneficiaries:** Riverine populations ("POPULAÇÕES RIBEIRINHAS") in specific municipalities affected by inundations.
- **Geographic Scope:** States of Amazonas and Mato Grosso.
- **Specific Municipalities Affected:** Cuiabá (Mt), Canutama (Am), Humaitá (Am), Boca do Acre (Am).
- **Administering Body:** Ministry of Transport of Brazil ("Ministerio Da Viação E Obras Publicas").
- **Legal Citation:** Lei nº 3703/1959.
- **Lexml Brazil ID:** `urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1959-12-24;3703`.
- **Place of Publication:** Rio de Janeiro (which was the federal capital at that time).
- **Official URL:** Available at `https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l3703.htm`.

## FAQs

**What was the purpose of Law No. 3703?**
The law was enacted to authorize a special budgetary adjustment granting CR$ 42,000,000.00 in financial aid to riverine populations who suffered losses due to severe flooding in specific regions of Brazil.

**Which regions and municipalities benefited from this law?**
The law specifically targeted the states of Amazonas and Mato Grosso. It identified the municipalities of Cuiabá, Canutama, Humaitá, and Boca do Acre as the primary areas receiving the emergency assistance.

**Who promulgated Law No. 3703 and when did it take effect?**
The statute was promulgated by President Juscelino Kubitschek through the Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil. It was approved and published on December 24, 1959.

**Which government body was responsible for administering the aid?**
The Ministry of Transport of Brazil, known at the time as the Ministry of Transport and Public Works ("Ministerio Da Viação E Obras Publicas"), was designated as the executing authority for the financial disbursement and aid distribution.

## Why It Matters
Law No. 3703 matters as a specific historical example of the Brazilian federal government's response to environmental and humanitarian crises in the Amazon region during the late 1950s. By authorizing a special credit of CR$ 42,000,000.00, the statute demonstrates the executive and legislative mechanisms used to provide immediate fiscal relief to vulnerable riverine communities (populações ribeirinhas) following natural disasters like floods. This law highlights the socio-economic challenges faced by the northern and central-western states of Brazil (Amazonas and Mato Grosso) during this period and the role of specific federal ministries, such as the Ministry of Transport, in disaster relief logistics. As a legal document promulgated by President Juscelino Kubitschek near the end of his term, it is part of the broader legislative record of his administration's development and infrastructure-focused agenda.

## Notable For
- **Emergency Humanitarian Relief:** Provided direct financial assistance to riverine populations devastated by floods.
- **Specific Legislative Action:** Utilized a "special budgetary adjustment" (Credito Especial) to bypass standard budget constraints for emergency funding.
- **Geographic Specificity:** Explicitly names specific municipalities (Cuiabá, Canutama, Humaitá, Boca do Acre) and states (Amazonas, Mato Grosso) in its text.
- **Presidential Promulgation:** Signed into law by President Juscelino Kubitschek on Christmas Eve, 1959.
- **Capital Context:** Published in Rio de Janeiro, which served as the capital of Brazil until April 1960, just months after this law's enactment.

## Body

### Legislative Classification and Authority
Law No. 3703 is classified as a statute (statute), a formal written document that creates law within the Brazilian legal system. As an instance of a statute, it is a manifestation of statutory law and constitutes a legal act enacted by the federal government. The law was created through the legislative process and signed by the head of state. It holds the legal citation `Lei nº 3703/1959` and is identified within the Brazilian legal information system by the Lexml Brazil ID `urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1959-12-24;3703`.

The approving authority for this law is the Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil, with the determination method being promulgation. The key figure in this process was President Juscelino Kubitschek, who served as the approver, finalizing the law on December 24, 1959.

### Subject Matter and Function
The primary function of Law No. 3703 was to authorize a special budgetary adjustment, cited in the document as "Credito Especial." Its main subject is defined as "special budgetary adjustment" and "financial aid." The law specifically digests the allocation of CR$ 42,000,000.00 (forty-two million cruzeiros) for the purpose of aiding riverine populations ("POPULAÇÕES RIBEIRINHAS") who were victims of inundations.

The law establishes financial aid as a key mechanism for disaster recovery. Unlike general appropriations, this law functions as a targeted fiscal instrument to address a specific emergency situation, showcasing the government's capacity to deploy funds outside the standard annual budget cycle through special credits.

### Geographic Scope and Affected Municipalities
The law applies to the jurisdiction of Brazil but focuses specifically on the states of Amazonas and Mato Grosso. It identifies several municipalities directly impacted by the floods and eligible for the aid:
- **Amazonas (Estado Do Amazonas - Am):** The law lists the municipalities of Canutama ("Canutama (Am)"), Humaitá ("Humaita (Am)"), and Boca do Acre ("Boca Do Acre (Am)").
- **Mato Grosso (Estado De Mato Grosso - Mt):** The law lists the municipality of Cuiabá ("Cuiaba (Mt)").

These municipalities represent the geographic beneficiaries of the CR$ 42,000,000.00 allocation, indicating that the flooding event was widespread across these regions. The term "Municipio" is used to classify these locations within the text.

### Administration and Execution
The execution of the aid was tasked to the Ministry of Transport of Brazil, referred to in the law by its historical name, the Ministry of Transport and Public Works ("Ministerio Da Viação E Obras Publicas"). This ministry was responsible for overseeing the distribution of the funds to the affected populations. The involvement of the Ministry of Transport suggests that infrastructure and logistics related to the floods (such as roads, waterways, or transport routes) were critical factors in the disaster or the relief effort.

### Publication and Accessibility
The law was published on December 24, 1959, in Rio de Janeiro, which was the federal capital of Brazil at the time. The place of publication is significant as the capital moved to Brasília on April 22, 1960, less than four months later. The official text is written in Brazilian Portuguese. For modern accessibility, the law is archived and available at the official URL `https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l3703.htm`. It is also tracked by WikiProject Brazilian Laws, indicating its relevance in cataloging Brazilian legislative history.

## References

1. [Source](https://www.lexml.gov.br/urn/urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1959-12-24;3703)
2. [Source](https://legislacao.presidencia.gov.br/atos?tipo=LEI&numero=3703&ano=1959&data=24/12/1959&ato=8c9QTQE9UMRRVT3bb)
3. LexML Brasil