Regulation on the Order of Rio Branco
CHAPTER I - CLASSES
Art. 1. The Order of Rio Branco, established by Decree No. 51.697, from February 05, 1963, intended to reward national or foreign individuals, legal entities, military corporations or civil institutions which, for their services or exceptional merit, have deserved the award, is composed of the following classes: a) Grand Cross; b) Grand Officer; c) Commander; d) Officer; e) Knight.
§ 1st The insignia of the Order granted to military corporations or civil institutions will be placed on their flags or ensigns, without class attribution.
§ 2nd The provision of the sole paragraph of art.18 observed, a silver medal, with the inscription “Medal of Merit of Rio Branco”, may be granted to reward other distinguished services rendered to the Nation.
CHAPTER II – DECORATION
Art. 2. The insignia of the Order is a four arm, eight point white enameled cross, with the armillary sphere in golden silver in the center, with the caption, in a blue enameled circle, “Ubique Patriae Memor”, of the same metal. On the golden reverse, the dates 1845-1912, according to the attached drawings.
Art. 3. The Grand Cross insignia consists of a pendant attached to a dark blue sash worn from the right shoulder to the left hip, and a golden silver badge with the same insignia displayed on the left chest. The Grand Officer wears the insignia pending from a ribbon placed around the neck and with the badge in silver. The Commander wears the insignia pending from a ribbon placed around the neck. The Officer and the Knight wear the insignia pending from a ribbon placed on the left chest; to the first one, golden with a rosette in the ribbon, and to the last one, in silver.
Sole paragraph. In everyday attire, the recipients of the Grand Cross, the Grand Officer and the Commander can wear, on the lapel, a rosette with the colors of the Order over metal ribbon bar in gold, silver gold and silver, respectively; the Officer can wear, on the lapel, a rosette; and the Knights, a narrow ribbon.
CHAPTER III – THE COUNCIL
Art. 4. The members of the Council are considered permanent members of the Order, and they shall bear the corresponding class to the category of their official function.
Art. 5. In the case of absence of the President of the Republic, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, in his capacity as Chancellor of the Order, chairs the meetings.
Art. 6. It is under the responsibility of the Council to approve or reject proposals of admission, to ensure the prestige of the Order and the true compliance with the present Regulation, to propose measures to the proper performance of its duties; to write the internal regulation, to approve the amendments on the regulation and to suspend the right to wear the insignia for reason of conviction or judicial practice of acts contrary to the sense of national honor and dignity.
Art. 7. The Council of the Order meets annually between 15 and 30 of January, and may, in exceptional cases, be convened for extraordinary meetings.
CHAPTER IV – GROUPS, ADMISSION TO AND PROMOTION IN THE ORDER
Art. 8. The recipients of the Order of Rio Branco are classified according to the following two groups:
A) Ordinary group: active employees of the Diplomatic Career.
B) Supplementary group: retired career diplomats and other individuals or legal entities that may come to be awarded with the insignia of the Order.
§ 1st The Ordinary group has the following classes:
Grand Cross – no limitation
Grand Officer – 120 (one hundred and twenty)
Commander – 100 (one hundred)
Officer – 80 (eighty)
Knight – 60 (sixty)
§ 2nd There are no limits on the number honored in the Supplementary group.
§3rd When promoted, the recipient shall restitute to the Secretariat of the Order the insignia related to the previous class.
Art 9.The admission to the groups of the Order obeys the following criteria:
A) Ordinary Group
Grand Cross -- 1st and 2nd Class Ministers, the last ones after commissioned as Ambassadors;
Grand Officer – 2nd Class Ministers;
Commander – Counselors;
Officer – First-Secretaries;
Knight – Second and Third Secretaries.
B) Supplementary group
Grand Cross – President of the Republic, Vice-President of the Republic, President of the House of Representatives, President of the Federal Senate, President of the Federal Supreme Court, State Ministers, Governors of the States of the Union and the Federal District, Admirals, Marshals, Air Force Marshals, Admirals of the Fleet, Army Generals, Lieutenant Brigadier, foreign Ambassadors and other persons of equivalent rank.
Grand Officer – Senators and Federal Congressmen, Ministers of the Federal Supreme Court and other members of the Superior Courts, Envoys Extraordinary and foreign Ministers Plenipotentiary, Presidents of Legislative Assemblies, Vice-Admirals, Army Lieutenant Generals, Air Force Lieutenant Generals and other persons of equivalent rank.
Commander – Secretaries of the Governments of the States of the Union and the Federal District, Counselors of foreign Embassy Legation, foreign career Consuls-General, Rear Admirals, Brigade Generals, Air Force Brigadiers, Judges of Appeal, College Professors, Scientists, Presidents of Literary, Scientific or Commercial Associations, and employees of equal rank of the Federal, State or Municipal Public Service.
Officer – College Professors, Trial Court Judges, Prosecutors, Armed Forces Superior Officers, Writers, First Secretaries of foreign Embassy or Legation and employees of the Federal, State or Municipal Public Service.
Knight – Armed Forces Officers, Second and Third Secretaries of foreign Embassy or Legation, foreign Carrier Consuls, Elementary school Teachers, employees of the Federal, State or Municipal Public Service, artists and athletes.
§ 1st When retired, diplomats are automatically transferred to the Supplementary group at the corresponding class.
§ 2nd Vacancies, in each class of the Ordinary group, are opened by promotion, transference to the Supplementary group, exclusion or death of the graduated in that group.
§ 3rd For admission in the Ordinary group, diplomats shall count, at least, 5 years in the diplomatic career.
§ 4th In exceptional cases, the Minister of Foreign Affairs may recommend the award of a higher class, in the Supplementary group.
§ 5th The Supplementary group has no limitation in number.
Art. 10 By initiative of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Council of the Order may propose to the President of the Republic the acceptance, in the Order, of Brazilians who have performed official functions abroad, as a reward to relevant services rendered to the Nation.
Art. 11 For the admission in the Supplementary group of the Order, Brazilian civil servants shall count, at least, the time of service stipulated bellow, according to the proposed class:
Knight: 10 years
Officer: 15 years
Commander: 20 years
Grand Officer: 25 years
Grand Cross: 30 years
Sole paragraph. Promotion to a superior class is made without required service time.
Art. 12 Admission to the Order is not allowed for individuals under 25 years of age.
Art. 13 Time frames for promotion in the groups of the Order are:
From Knight to Officer: 2 years
From Officer to Commander: 3 years
From Commander to Grand Officer: 4 years
From Grand Officer to Grand Cross: 5 years
Sole paragraph. Promotion may be conceded without the required time frame aforementioned, at the discretion of the Council of the Order, taking into consideration the position or function of the graduated.
CHAPTER V – PROPOSALS
Art. 14 Proposals of admission to and promotion in the Order are privative to the members of the Council.
Art. 15 A committee gathered once a year and composed by the Secretary-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Head of the Administration Department, the Chief of Protocol and the Chief of Staff of the Foreign Minister considers, on a preliminary basis, suggestions for admission or promotion of Diplomat in the Ordinary group, as well as of employees of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Supplementary group. The names accepted by the committee are submitted to the approval of the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Art. 16 Governors of the States of the Union and of Federal Territories forward to the Minister of Foreign Affairs the suggestions for admission or promotion of Brazilian or foreign persons residing in their respective States, to be taken into consideration by the Council of the Order.
Art. 17 In the case of individuals residing abroad and legal entities with headquarters overseas, suggestions of admission to or promotion in the Order are made by the Heads of Diplomatic Missions or Brazilian Consular Offices and they are forwarded to the Council of the Order by the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Art. 18 All the proposals for admission to and promotion in the Order shall contain the full name of the candidate, nationality, profession, biographical data, indication of the services rendered, class of decorations owned, name of the proponent and, in the case of Brazilian diplomats or employees of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, time of service and graduation.
Sole paragraph. The same data shall be part of the candidate’s proposal to the medal annexed to the Order.
Art. 29 Proposals for admission to and promotion in the Supplementary group shall reach the Secretariat of the Council from October 1 to December 1, with a view to preliminary work and judgment by the Council.
Art. 20 In exceptional cases, the Minister of Foreign Affairs may grant decorations ad referendum of the Council of the Order.
CHAPTER VI –ADMISSION AND PROMOTION OF FOREIGNERS
Art. 21 On the occasion of official visit of foreigner Head of State, Head of Government or Minister of Foreign Affairs or visit of foreign high persona to Brazil, as well as on the occasion of official visit of the President of the Republic or of the Minister of Foreign Affairs abroad, the President of the Republic, Grand Master of the Order, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chancellor of the Order, may award decorations without previous consultation to the members of the Council.
Art. 22 The principle of reciprocity observed, foreign diplomats and carrier consuls who have served in Brazil for more than two years, and have become worthy of national recognition, may receive, when leaving the Country, the insignias and diplomas of the corresponding classes.
§ 1st While accredited in Brazil, they may only be admitted to the Order in special cases, for example, due to official visit of Head of State, Head of Government or Minister of Foreign Affairs of their respective countries.
§ 2nd Foreign diplomats and carrier consuls serving in Brazil for more than ten consecutive years and that have rendered relevant service to the Nation may be equally admitted to the Order.
Art. 23 Proposals of admission and promotion of foreign diplomats and carrier consuls are not submitted to the Council of the Order, being reined by the principle of reciprocity. In exceptional cases, the Minister of Foreign Affairs may recommend to the President of the Republic the derogation of reciprocity.
CHAPTER VII – APPOINTMENTS
Art. 24 Appointments to the Order are made by Decree of the President of the Republic, as Grand Master of the Order, countersigned by the Minister of Foreign Affairs after approval by the Council of the Order.
Art. 25 After the Appointment Decree is published, the Minister of Foreign Affairs requires the issuance of the competent diploma, which is signed by him or by the Chief of Protocol in his capacity as Secretary of the Order.
CHAPTER VIII – INVESTITURE
Art 26 The President of the Republic or the Minister of Foreign Affairs officially presents the decorations, in principle, in Brasília, on the Day of the Diplomat, day of birth of the Baron of Rio Branco.
§1st In the case of people residing in States of the Federation or in Federal Territories, the insignias and their respective diplomas may be presented by authority assigned by the President of the Republic or by the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
§2nd In the case of individuals residing abroad, and legal entities with headquarters overseas, the insignias and their respective diplomas is presented by the Heads of Diplomatic Missions or Brazilian Consular Offices.
Regulation on the Order of Rio Branco
CHAPTER I - CLASSES
Art. 1. The Order of Rio Branco, established by Decree No. 51.697, from February 05, 1963, intended to reward national or foreign individuals, legal entities, military corporations or civil institutions which, for their services or exceptional merit, have deserved the award, is composed of the following classes:
a) Grand Cross
b) Grand Officer
c) Commander
d) Officer
e) Knight
§ 1st The insignia of the Order granted to military corporations or civil institutions will be placed on their flags or ensigns, without class attribution.
§ 2nd The provision of the sole paragraph of art.18 observed, a silver medal, with the inscription “Medal of Merit of Rio Branco”, may be granted to reward other distinguished services rendered to the Nation.
CHAPTER II – DECORATION
Art. 2. The insignia of the Order is a four arm, eight point white enameled cross, with the armillary sphere in golden silver in the center, with the caption, in a blue enameled circle, “Ubique Patriae Memor”, of the same metal. On the golden reverse, the dates 1845-1912, according to the attached drawings.
Art. 3. The Grand Cross insignia consists of a pendant attached to a dark blue sash worn from the right shoulder to the left hip, and a golden silver badge with the same insignia displayed on the left chest. The Grand Officer wears the insignia pending from a ribbon placed around the neck and with the badge in silver. The Commander wears the insignia pending from a ribbon placed around the neck. The Officer and the Knight wear the insignia pending from a ribbon placed on the left chest; to the first one, golden with a rosette in the ribbon, and to the last one, in silver.
Sole paragraph. In everyday attire, the recipients of the Grand Cross, the Grand Officer and the Commander can wear, on the lapel, a rosette with the colors of the Order over metal ribbon bar in gold, silver gold and silver, respectively; the Officer can wear, on the lapel, a rosette; and the Knights, a narrow ribbon.
CHAPTER III – THE COUNCIL
Art. 4. The members of the Council are considered permanent members of the Order, and they shall bear the corresponding class to the category of their official function.
Art. 5. In the case of absence of the President of the Republic, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, in his capacity as Chancellor of the Order, chairs the meetings.
Art. 6. It is under the responsibility of the Council to approve or reject proposals of admission, to ensure the prestige of the Order and the true compliance with the present Regulation, to propose measures to the proper performance of its duties; to write the internal regulation, to approve the amendments on the regulation and to suspend the right to wear the insignia for reason of conviction or judicial practice of acts contrary to the sense of national honor and dignity.
Art. 7. The Council of the Order meets annually between 15 and 30 of January, and may, in exceptional cases, be convened for extraordinary meetings.
CHAPTER IV – GROUPS, ADMISSION TO AND PROMOTION IN THE ORDER
Art. 8. The recipients of the Order of Rio Branco are classified according to the following two groups:
A) Ordinary group: active employees of the Diplomatic Career.
B) Supplementary group: retired career diplomats and other individuals or legal entities that may come to be awarded with the insignia of the Order.
§ 1st The Ordinary group has the following classes:
Grand Cross – no limitation
Grand Officer – 60 (sixty)
Commander – 50 (fifty)
Officer – 40 (forty)
Knight – 30 (thirty)
§ 2nd There are no limits on the number honored in the Supplementary group.
§3rd When promoted, the recipient shall restitute to the Secretariat of the Order the insignia related to the previous class.
Art 9.The admission to the groups of the Order obeys the following criteria:
A) Ordinary Group
Grand Cross -- 1st and 2nd Class Ministers, the last ones after commissioned as Ambassadors;
Grand Officer – 2nd Class Ministers;
Commander – Counselors;
Officer – First-Secretaries;
Knight – Second and Third Secretaries.
B) Supplementary group
Grand Cross – President of the Republic, Vice-President of the Republic, President of the House of Representatives, President of the Federal Senate, President of the Federal Supreme Court, State Ministers, Governors of the States of the Union and the Federal District, Admirals, Marshals, Air Force Marshals, Admirals of the Fleet, Army Generals, Lieutenant Brigadier, foreign Ambassadors and other persons of equivalent rank.
Grand Officer – Senators and Federal Congressmen, Ministers of the Federal Supreme Court and other members of the Superior Courts, Envoys Extraordinary and foreign Ministers Plenipotentiary, Presidents of Legislative Assemblies, Vice-Admirals, Army Lieutenant Generals, Air Force Lieutenant Generals and other persons of equivalent rank.
Commander – Secretaries of the Governments of the States of the Union and the Federal District, Counselors of foreign Embassy Legation, foreign career Consuls-General, Rear Admirals, Brigade Generals, Air Force Brigadiers, Judges of Appeal, College Professors, Scientists, Presidents of Literary, Scientific or Commercial Associations, and employees of equal rank of the Federal, State or Municipal Public Service.
Officer – College Professors, Trial Court Judges, Prosecutors, Armed Forces Superior Officers, Writers, First Secretaries of foreign Embassy or Legation and employees of the Federal, State or Municipal Public Service.
Knight – Armed Forces Officers, Second and Third Secretaries of foreign Embassy or Legation, foreign Carrier Consuls, Elementary school Teachers, employees of the Federal, State or Municipal Public Service, artists and athletes.
§ 1st When retired, diplomats are automatically transferred to the Supplementary group at the corresponding class.
§ 2nd Vacancies, in each class of the Ordinary group, are opened by promotion, transference to the Supplementary group, exclusion or death of the graduated in that group.
§ 3rd For admission in the Ordinary group, diplomats shall count, at least, 5 years in the diplomatic career.
§ 4th In exceptional cases, the Minister of Foreign Affairs may recommend the award of a higher class, in the Supplementary group.
§ 5th The Supplementary group has no limitation in number.
Art. 10 By initiative of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Council of the Order may propose to the President of the Republic the acceptance, in the Order, of Brazilians who have performed official functions abroad, as a reward to relevant services rendered to the Nation.
Art. 11 For the admission in the Supplementary group of the Order, Brazilian civil servants shall count, at least, the time of service stipulated bellow, according to the proposed class:
Knight: 10 years
Officer: 15 years
Commander: 20 years
Grand Officer: 25 years
Grand Cross: 30 years
Sole paragraph. Promotion to a superior class is made without required service time.
Art. 12 Admission to the Order is not allowed for individuals under 25 years of age.
Art. 13 Time frames for promotion in the groups of the Order are:
From Knight to Officer: 2 years
From Officer to Commander: 3 years
From Commander to Grand Officer: 4 years
From Grand Officer to Grand Cross: 5 years
Sole paragraph. Promotion may be conceded without the required time frame aforementioned, at the discretion of the Council of the Order, taking into consideration the position or function of the graduated.
CHAPTER V – PROPOSALS
Art. 14 Proposals of admission to and promotion in the Order are privative to the members of the Council.
Art. 15 A committee gathered once a year and composed by the Secretary-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Head of the Administration Department, the Chief of Protocol and the Chief of Staff of the Foreign Minister considers, on a preliminary basis, suggestions for admission or promotion of Diplomat in the Ordinary group, as well as of employees of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Supplementary group. The names accepted by the committee are submitted to the approval of the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Art. 16 Governors of the States of the Union and of Federal Territories forward to the Minister of Foreign Affairs the suggestions for admission or promotion of Brazilian or foreign persons residing in their respective States, to be taken into consideration by the Council of the Order.
Art. 17 In the case of individuals residing abroad and legal entities with headquarters overseas, suggestions of admission to or promotion in the Order are made by the Heads of Diplomatic Missions or Brazilian Consular Offices and they are forwarded to the Council of the Order by the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Art. 18 All the proposals for admission to and promotion in the Order shall contain the full name of the candidate, nationality, profession, biographical data, indication of the services rendered, class of decorations owned, name of the proponent and, in the case of Brazilian diplomats or employees of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, time of service and graduation.
Sole paragraph. The same data shall be part of the candidate’s proposal to the medal annexed to the Order.
Art. 29 Proposals for admission to and promotion in the Supplementary group shall reach the Secretariat of the Council from October 1 to December 1, with a view to preliminary work and judgment by the Council.
Art. 20 In exceptional cases, the Minister of Foreign Affairs may grant decorations ad referendum of the Council of the Order.
CHAPTER VI –ADMISSION AND PROMOTION OF FOREIGNERS
Art. 21 On the occasion of official visit of foreigner Head of State, Head of Government or Minister of Foreign Affairs or visit of foreign high persona to Brazil, as well as on the occasion of official visit of the President of the Republic or of the Minister of Foreign Affairs abroad, the President of the Republic, Grand Master of the Order, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chancellor of the Order, may award decorations without previous consultation to the members of the Council.
Art. 22 The principle of reciprocity observed, foreign diplomats and carrier consuls who have served in Brazil for more than two years, and have become worthy of national recognition, may receive, when leaving the Country, the insignias and diplomas of the corresponding classes.
§ 1st While accredited in Brazil, they may only be admitted to the Order in special cases, for example, due to official visit of Head of State, Head of Government or Minister of Foreign Affairs of their respective countries.
§ 2nd Foreign diplomats and carrier consuls serving in Brazil for more than ten consecutive years and that have rendered relevant service to the Nation may be equally admitted to the Order.
Art. 23 Proposals of admission and promotion of foreign diplomats and carrier consuls are not submitted to the Council of the Order, being reined by the principle of reciprocity. In exceptional cases, the Minister of Foreign Affairs may recommend to the President of the Republic the derogation of reciprocity.
CHAPTER VII – APPOINTMENTS
Art. 24 Appointments to the Order are made by Decree of the President of the Republic, as Grand Master of the Order, countersigned by the Minister of Foreign Affairs after approval by the Council of the Order.
Art. 25 After the Appointment Decree is published, the Minister of Foreign Affairs requires the issuance of the competent diploma, which is signed by him or by the Chief of Protocol in his capacity as Secretary of the Order.
CHAPTER VIII – INVESTITURE
Art 26 The President of the Republic or the Minister of Foreign Affairs officially presents the decorations, in principle, in Brasília, on the Day of the Diplomat, day of birth of the Baron of Rio Branco.
§1st In the case of people residing in States of the Federation or in Federal Territories, the insignias and their respective diplomas may be presented by authority assigned by the President of the Republic or by the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
§2nd In the case of individuals residing abroad, and legal entities with headquarters overseas, the insignias and their respective diplomas is presented by the Heads of Diplomatic Missions or Brazilian Consular Offices.
CHAPTER IX – RECORD BOOK
Art. 27 The Council of the Order keeps a registry book, signed by the Secretary, in which are inscribed, in chronological order, the names of each members of the Order, the class indication and the respective biographical data.
Art. 27 The Council of the Order keeps a registry book, signed by the Secretary, in which are inscribed, in chronological order, the names of each members of the Order, the class indication and the respective biographical data.