Article 14 on the Brazilian military is particularly important for the future.

It declared the army and navy to be permanent national institutions responsible for maintaining law and order and for ensuring the continuance of the three constitutional powers.

Officers insist on the statement of permanent status because they fear  that the elites will disband their services.

The armed forces are to be the moderator of the system, and military officers are Brazil's only constitutionally mandated elite.

The article also requires the military to be obedient to the president but "within the limits of the law."

Thus, the armed forces are to obey only if they determine a presidential order to be legal.

Oddly, military officials are less than enthusiastic about discretionary obedience, which they see as subversive; the civilian politicians, however, want it as a check on presidential power.

Interestingly, the constitutions of 1934 and 1946 will keep the discretionary clause unaltered.

However, the 1937 constitution of the dictatorial Estado Novo, a military regime in civilian dress, will put the military securely under obedience to the president.