# Law No. 6769 of March 19, 1980

> Brazilian law

**Wikidata**: [Q105659769](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q105659769)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/law-no-6769-of-march-19-1980

## Summary
**Law No. 6769 of March 19, 1980** (Portuguese: *Lei nº 6.769, de 19 de março de 1980*) is a Brazilian federal statute enacted during the military dictatorship period that regulates matters concerning the Brazilian Air Force (Força Aérea Brasileira - FAB) and the Ministry of Aeronautics of Brazil. Promulgated by President João Figueiredo in Brasília, the law addresses military personnel strength (efetivos militares), organizational changes, designations, and legal norms governing the Brazilian Air Force. It is classified as a formal statute and remains accessible through Brazil's official legal databases.

## Key Facts
- **Official Title:** Lei nº 6.769, de 19 de março de 1980
- **Legal Citation:** Lei nº 6.769/1980
- **Promulgation Date:** March 19, 1980
- **Place of Publication:** Brasília, Federal District, Brazil
- **Promulgating Authority:** Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil
- **Signatory:** João Figueiredo (President of Brazil, 1979–1985)
- **Classification:** Statute (formal written document that creates law)
- **Jurisdiction:** Federative Republic of Brazil
- **Language:** Brazilian Portuguese
- **Primary Subjects:** Brazilian Air Force (FAB), Ministry of Aeronautics of Brazil (MAer), military personnel strength, organizational changes, designations, legal norms
- **LexML Brazil Identifier:** urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1980-03-19;6769
- **Official URL:** https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1980-1988/l6769.htm
- **WikiProject Classification:** WikiProject Brazilian Laws

## FAQs

**What is the purpose of Law No. 6769/1980?**
Law No. 6769/1980 establishes legal provisions related to the Brazilian Air Force and the Ministry of Aeronautics. It specifically addresses military personnel strength increases, organizational changes, designations, and legal norms governing these institutions.

**Who signed Law No. 6769/1980 into effect?**
The law was promulgated by President João Figueiredo, who served as the last president of Brazil's military dictatorship period (1979–1985). The promulgation was issued through the Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil.

**Where can the full text of Law No. 6769/1980 be accessed?**
The official text is available through Brazil's Planalto Palace website at https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1980-1988/l6769.htm. It is also indexed in the LexML Brazil legal database with identifier urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1980-03-19;6769.

**What government bodies does Law No. 6769/1980 affect?**
The law directly affects the Brazilian Air Force (Força Aérea Brasileira - FAB) and the Ministry of Aeronautics of Brazil (Ministério da Aeronáutica - MAer), which was the cabinet-level ministry overseeing Brazilian military aviation until its merger into the Ministry of Defense in 1999.

## Why It Matters
Law No. 6769/1980 represents a significant piece of Brazilian military legislation during the final years of the military dictatorship (1964–1985). Enacted under President João Figueiredo's administration, the law reflects the ongoing organizational and structural adjustments within Brazil's armed forces during this transitional period. The law's focus on military personnel strength (efetivos militares) and organizational changes provides insight into how Brazil's military government managed its air power capabilities. As a statute concerning the Ministry of Aeronautics—a ministry that would later be abolished in 1999 when Brazil unified its military branches under a single Ministry of Defense—this law serves as a historical marker of the institutional architecture of Brazilian military governance. The law's preservation in official databases like LexML Brazil and the Planalto archives ensures continued access for legal researchers, historians, and military scholars studying Brazil's legislative and military history.

## Notable For
- **Military Dictatorship Era Legislation:** Enacted during Brazil's 21-year military dictatorship, representing the legal frameworks governing the armed forces during authoritarian rule
- **Ministry of Aeronautics Governance:** One of the laws regulating the now-defunct Ministry of Aeronautics, which existed from 1941 until its merger into the Ministry of Defense in 1999
- **João Figueiredo Administration:** Promulgated by Brazil's last military president, who oversaw the transition to democracy
- **Brazilian Air Force Regulation:** Directly addresses organizational and personnel matters for one of the largest air forces in the Southern Hemisphere
- **LexML Integration:** Indexed in Brazil's official legal document network (LexML) with persistent identifier urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1980-03-19;6769
- **WikiProject Documentation:** Recognized as part of WikiProject Brazilian Laws, indicating its significance in Brazilian legal documentation

## Body

### Legal Classification and Status

Law No. 6769 of March 19, 1980 is formally classified as a **statute** (Portuguese: *estatuto*), which constitutes a formal written document that creates law. Under Brazilian legal taxonomy, it represents an instance of a federal legal act promulgated by the executive branch with legislative authority. The law is categorized as a manifestation of statutory law and contains legal norms as its constitutive parts.

As a federal statute, the law applies to the entirety of the Federative Republic of Brazil and was published in Brasília, the federal capital. The statute follows the standard Brazilian legal naming convention, incorporating the law number (6769), the full date of promulgation (March 19, 1980), and its legal citation shorthand (Lei nº 6.769/1980).

### Promulgation and Authority

The law was officially promulgated on **March 19, 1980**, through the **Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil**. The promulgating authority was **João Figueiredo**, who served as President of Brazil from March 15, 1979, to March 15, 1985. Figueiredo was the fifth and final president of Brazil's military dictatorship period, known for initiating the gradual democratization process known as *abertura* (opening).

The promulgation was executed through the method of *promulgação* (promulgation), the formal act by which the President certifies that a law has been constitutionally approved and orders its execution. The official reference for this promulgation is documented in Brazil's presidential legislation system.

### Subject Matter and Scope

Law No. 6769/1980 addresses multiple interconnected subjects related to Brazil's military aviation apparatus:

**Brazilian Air Force (Força Aérea Brasileira - FAB):**
The law has the Brazilian Air Force as a primary subject, referred to in the legislation as "Força Aerea Brasileira (Fab)." The FAB is one of the three branches of the Brazilian Armed Forces and one of the largest air forces in the Americas.

**Ministry of Aeronautics (Ministério da Aeronáutica - MAer):**
The Ministry of Aeronautics of Brazil is also a central subject, referred to as "Ministerio Da Aeronautica (Maer)." This ministry was established in 1941 and served as the cabinet-level department responsible for civil and military aviation until its extinction in 1999, when it was merged into the newly created Ministry of Defense.

**Military Personnel Strength (Efetivos Militares):**
The law addresses "Aumento" (increase) concerning "Efetivos Militares" (military personnel strength), indicating provisions for changes in the authorized number of personnel within the Air Force and Ministry of Aeronautics.

**Organizational Changes (Alteração):**
The law contains provisions for "Alteração" (change/modification), suggesting structural or administrative modifications to the affected institutions.

**Designations (Denominação):**
The legislation includes matters of "Denominação" (designation/naming), potentially relating to organizational naming conventions, ranks, or unit designations.

**Legal Norms (Normas):**
The law establishes "Normas" (legal norms), providing regulatory frameworks governing the subjects addressed.

### Publication and Accessibility

The law was published in **Brasília**, Brazil's federal capital, on March 19, 1980. It is currently accessible through multiple official channels:

**Planalto Palace Website:**
The official text is hosted at https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1980-1988/l6769.htm as part of the Civil House's legislative archive.

**LexML Brazil:**
The law is indexed in Brazil's LexML (Legal XML) system with the persistent identifier `urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1980-03-19;6769`. LexML Brazil is a national project for identifying and exchanging legal documents using semantic web technologies.

**Language:**
The law is written in **Brazilian Portuguese**, the official language of Brazil.

### Historical and Political Context

Law No. 6769/1980 was enacted during a significant period in Brazilian history. The year 1980 fell within the **military dictatorship era** (1964–1985), specifically during the presidency of João Figueiredo, who had assumed office in 1979. This period was characterized by:

- **Political Transition:** Figueiredo's presidency marked the beginning of the transition toward democratic governance, though the military maintained significant control over government institutions.
- **Military Institutional Development:** Laws concerning the armed forces during this period reflected the military government's emphasis on institutional organization and capability development.
- **Ministry of Aeronautics Prominence:** During the military period, the Ministry of Aeronautics held cabinet-level status and was responsible for both military aviation and civil aviation regulation.

The law's focus on personnel increases and organizational changes likely reflects the military government's ongoing efforts to structure and modernize its armed forces during this period.

### Relationship to Statutory Law

As an instance of a **statute**, Law No. 6769/1980 shares the characteristics of formal written documents that create law. Statutes in the Brazilian legal system:

- Serve as manifestations of statutory law
- Contain legal norms as constitutive parts
- Follow the process of legislation, beginning with draft laws
- Result in statutory law upon enactment
- Are generally in the public domain as official legal documents

The law's classification as a statute places it within the broader category of legal instruments that includes acts, executive orders, and by-laws.

### Jurisdictional Application

Law No. 6769/1980 applies to the **entire territory of Brazil** as a federal law. The jurisdiction is specified as Brazil, meaning the law's provisions are binding throughout all 26 states and the Federal District. As federal legislation concerning military matters, it falls under the exclusive competence of the Union (federal government) as established by the Brazilian Constitution.

### Official Identifiers and References

The law is indexed through multiple official identification systems:

| Identifier Type | Value |
|-----------------|-------|
| Legal Citation | Lei nº 6.769/1980 |
| LexML URN | urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1980-03-19;6769 |
| Official URL | https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/1980-1988/l6769.htm |
| WikiProject | WikiProject Brazilian Laws |

### Contemporary Relevance

Law No. 6769/1980 remains accessible in Brazil's official legal databases and continues to be referenced in legal and historical research. While the Ministry of Aeronautics was dissolved in 1999 with the creation of the Ministry of Defense, laws from this period may still have historical significance for understanding the evolution of Brazil's military aviation institutions and the legal frameworks of the military dictatorship period.

The law's presence in systems like LexML Brazil and the Planalto archives ensures that researchers, legal professionals, and historians can access this legislation as part of Brazil's comprehensive legal documentation.

## References

1. [Source](https://www.lexml.gov.br/urn/urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1980-03-19;6769)
2. [Source](https://legislacao.presidencia.gov.br/atos?tipo=LEI&numero=6769&ano=1980&data=19/03/1980&ato=5b5ATSE9UMrRVT994)