CONSTITUTION 439 Art. 75 In case the Interior office be vacant, the oldbst Cabinet Minister shall take the place of the President, and if all the Ministerial offices be vacant, said place shall be filled by the oldest member of the Council of State, who is not an ecclesiastic. Art. 76 The President of the Republic can not leave the territory of the Republic during the term of his office, or within one year after the conclusion of the same, without the permission of Congress. Art. 77 The President shall cease to hold office on the same day that his five year term expires, and shall be succeeded by the President newly elected. Art. 78 If this latter be temporarily prevented from taking possession of the Presidency, he shall be replaced by the oldest Councillor of State, but if the impediment be absolute or likely to continue indefinitely, or for a period longer than the Presidential term, then a new election shall beheld in the manner prescribed by the constitution, and in the mean- time the oldest Councillor of State, not an ecclesiastic, shall fill the office in his stead. Art. 79 When, in the cases contemplated in Articles 74 and 78, an election for President is to take place, at a time other than that prescribed by the constitution, the order for the election of Presidential electors, for the election of President, for the ballotings and verifications made by Congress, shall be given for the same days, and the same forms shall be observed, as prescribed by Articles 65 to 73 inclusive. Art. 80 The President-elect, upon taking possession of his office, shall take the following oath, which shall be administered to him by the President of the Senate, in presence of the two chambers assembled in the hall of the Senate: I swear by our Lord and these holy gospels to discharge faithfully the duties of the office of President of the Republic; to observe and protect the Apostolic Roman Catholic Religion; to pre- serve the integrity and independence of the Republic, and to guard and have guarded the constitution and the laws. So help me God, according as I shall keep my oath.
