Brazilian president starts second term
3 Jan 2015 11:22 PM GMT
“I promise to uphold, defend and obey the constitution, to observe the laws, to promote the general welfare of the Brazilian people, to maintain the unity, integrity and independence of Brazil,” the country’s first woman president said during the solemn ceremony in Congress.
The 67-year-old Rousseff pronounced those words for the first time in January 2011, when she succeeded her political mentor, two-term president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
Rousseff, standard-bearer of the centre-left Workers Party, won a second term in October’s presidential runoff, narrowly defeating conservative senator Aecio Neves, who vows to lead an energetic opposition to the government over the next four years.
Other challenges facing the woman who was tortured under Brazil’s 1964-1985 military regime include a corruption scandal at state oil company Petrobras and the tricky task of reducing the budget deficit while finding ways to stimulate Brazil’s economy.
The heads of state of Bolivia, Chile, Costa Rica, Paraguay, Uruguay and Venezuela were present for the ceremony, while Argentina sent Vice President Amado Boudou.
China and the US, Brazil’s top two trading partners, were represented by their respective vice presidents.
The 67-year-old Rousseff pronounced those words for the first time in January 2011, when she succeeded her political mentor, two-term president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
Rousseff, standard-bearer of the centre-left Workers Party, won a second term in October’s presidential runoff, narrowly defeating conservative senator Aecio Neves, who vows to lead an energetic opposition to the government over the next four years.
Other challenges facing the woman who was tortured under Brazil’s 1964-1985 military regime include a corruption scandal at state oil company Petrobras and the tricky task of reducing the budget deficit while finding ways to stimulate Brazil’s economy.
The heads of state of Bolivia, Chile, Costa Rica, Paraguay, Uruguay and Venezuela were present for the ceremony, while Argentina sent Vice President Amado Boudou.
China and the US, Brazil’s top two trading partners, were represented by their respective vice presidents.
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