The inspectorate, however, does not wait for complaints.

Not only is it on the alert to catch and sift every rumor of a fault in the service, but it is its business, by systematic and constant oversight and inspection of every branch of the army, to find out what is going wrong before anybody else does.

The President is usually not far from fifty when elected, and serves five years, forming an honorable exception to the rule of retirement at forty-five.

At the end of his term of office, a national Congress is called to receive his report and approve or condemn it.

If it is approved, Congress usually elects him to represent the nation for five years more in the international council.