# Law No. 3894 of May 15, 1961 > Brazilian law **Wikidata**: [Q105648056](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q105648056) **Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/law-no-3894-of-may-15-1961 ## Summary Law No. 3894 of May 15, 1961 (Lei nº 3894/1961) is a Brazilian federal statute that revokes Law 1894 of June 20, 1953, which previously regulated the promotion year for cadets (aspirantes) at the Escola Naval (Naval School). Promulgated by President Jânio Quadros on behalf of the Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil, this law represents a specific legislative action within Brazil's military education and personnel system. It was published in Brasília in Brazilian Portuguese and remains applicable within the jurisdiction of Brazil. ## Key Facts - **Official Title:** Lei nº 3894, de 15 de maio de 1961 - **Legal Citation:** Lei nº 3894/1961 - **Publication Date:** May 15, 1961 - **Place of Publication:** Brasília, Brazil - **Language:** Brazilian Portuguese - **Promulgating Authority:** Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil - **Signing Officer:** President Jânio Quadros - **Date of Signing:** May 15, 1961 - **LEXML Brazil ID:** urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1961-05-15;3894 - **Classification:** Statute (formal written document that creates law) - **Applies to Jurisdiction:** Brazil - **Primary Action:** Revocation of Law 1894 of June 20, 1953 - **Main Subjects:** promotion, revocation, regulation - **Official Source URL:** https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l3894.htm - **Wikidata Description:** Brazilian law ## FAQs **What does Law No. 3894 of May 15, 1961 do?** Law No. 3894/1961 specifically revokes Law 1894 of June 20, 1953, which regulated the promotion year (promoção de ano) for Naval School cadets (aspirantes da Escola Naval). This revocation indicates a legislative change in how cadet promotions were managed at Brazil's naval academy. **Who signed Law No. 3894 of 1961?** The law was signed and promulgated by President Jânio Quadros on May 15, 1961, acting in his capacity as the head of the Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil. **What is the legal context of Law No. 3894/1961?** This law is classified as a statute—a formal written document that creates law—and falls under Brazilian federal legislation. It addresses matters related to military education, specifically the Naval School (Escola Naval), which is Brazil's primary institution for training naval officers. **Where can Law No. 3894/1961 be accessed?** The full text of the law is available through the official Brazilian government legislation portal at https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l3894.htm. **What subjects does Law No. 3894/1961 address?** The law's main subjects include promotion (promoção), revocation (revogação), and regulation (regulamento), reflecting its function in modifying existing legal frameworks governing naval cadet promotions. ## Why It Matters Law No. 3894 of May 15, 1961 matters as a specific legislative intervention in Brazil's military personnel system, particularly in the administration of the Escola Naval. By revoking Law 1894/1953, this statute demonstrates the ongoing evolution of military education regulations in Brazil. The law represents a moment in which the Brazilian government, under President Jânio Quadros, chose to modify or eliminate the existing framework for how Naval School cadets progressed through their training years. This type of legislative action is significant because it directly impacts the structure and timing of promotions for future naval officers, which has implications for military readiness, career progression, and the organizational structure of the Brazilian Navy. The law also reflects the broader context of Brazilian legislative activity during the early 1960s, a period of significant political and administrative development in the country. ## Notable For - **Specific Military Focus:** One of the relatively few Brazilian federal laws dedicated exclusively to regulating promotion procedures at the Naval School - **Revocatory Nature:** Represents a direct legislative revocation of a prior statute (Law 1894/1953), making it a tool for legal reform rather than simply establishing new rules - **Presidential Authority:** Promulgated by President Jânio Quadros, one of Brazil's notable political figures - **Part of Brazilian Legal Tradition:** Contributes to the body of Brazilian statutory law governing military institutions - **Historical Context:** Enacted during a significant period in Brazilian history, shortly after the transition of the capital from Rio de Janeiro to Brasília in 1960 ## Body ### Legislative Origin and Authority Law No. 3894 of May 15, 1961 originated from the Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil, with President Jânio Quadros as the signing authority. The law was promulgated on exactly May 15, 1961, and represents an exercise of presidential legislative power within Brazil's federal system. The law was published in Brasília, which had become Brazil's new capital approximately one year earlier on April 22, 1960, marking a new era in Brazilian governance and administration. ### Legal Effect and Scope The primary legal effect of Law No. 3894/1961 is the revocation of Law 1894 of June 20, 1953. This earlier law had established regulations governing the "promoção de ano dos aspirantes da Escola Naval"—the promotion system for cadets at Brazil's Naval School. By revoking this predecessor law, Law No. 3894/1961 effectively dismantled the existing regulatory framework for how cadets advanced through their training years at the naval academy. The law's scope is narrowly focused on military education administration rather than broader naval policy. It addresses three primary legal concepts: promotion (promoção), revocation (revogação), and regulation (regulamento). This combination indicates that the law both removed an existing regulatory structure and, implicitly, opened the way for new regulations to replace it—though the specific details of any replacement framework would be found in subsequent legislation. ### The Naval School Context The Escola Naval (Naval School) is Brazil's premier institution for training officers for the Brazilian Navy. The promotion system for cadets—determining when and how students advance from one year of training to the next—is a critical aspect of military education, affecting both the quality of training and the subsequent careers of naval officers. The regulation of such promotions through formal law rather than administrative decree reflects the importance that Brazilian authorities placed on formalizing these procedures. Law 1894 of 1953 had established specific rules for this promotion system. Its revocation by Law 3894/1961 suggests that the existing framework was found to be inadequate, impractical, or otherwise in need of replacement. This type of legislative action is common in military organizations, where operational needs and educational philosophies evolve over time. ### Relationship to Brazilian Legal System As a federal statute, Law No. 3894/1961 occupies a specific position within Brazil's hierarchy of legal norms. It is classified as a "statute" (estatuto), which in Brazilian legal terminology refers to formal written documents that create law, including acts, executive orders, and by-laws. This classification places the law within the broader category of primary legislation that carries binding legal force throughout the Brazilian jurisdiction. The law applies to jurisdiction within Brazil and is written in Brazilian Portuguese, consistent with the country's official language requirements for legal documents. Its legal citation as "Lei nº 3894/1961" follows standard Brazilian legislative naming conventions, where "Lei" indicates the type of legislation, "nº" indicates the number, and the year follows. ### Official Documentation and Access The official text of Law No. 3894/1961 is preserved in Brazil's federal legislation archives. The law can be accessed through the official government portal at https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1950-1969/l3894.htm, which hosts the collection of Brazilian federal laws from 1950-1969. The LEXML Brazil identifier for this law is urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1961-05-15;3894, which provides a standardized reference for legal documentation systems. ### Historical Period Law No. 3894/1961 was enacted during a notable period in Brazilian history. The early 1960s represented a time of significant political transition in Brazil. President Jânio Quadros, who signed this law, served as President from January 31, 1961, to August 25, 1961, making this law one of the legislative actions during his brief but notable presidency. The law was passed just over a year after Brazil inaugurated its new capital, Brasília, in 1960, reflecting the modernizing ambitions of the period. This era saw various legislative and administrative changes as Brazil navigated its post-military rule political landscape (the military government had ended in 1985, well after this law was passed) and worked to modernize its institutions, including the military branches. ## References 1. [Source](https://www.lexml.gov.br/urn/urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1961-05-15;3894) 2. [Source](https://legislacao.presidencia.gov.br/atos?tipo=LEI&numero=3894&ano=1961&data=15/05/1961&ato=88dETSE5keVRVTf3b) 3. LexML Brasil