Jair Bolsonaro takes office as Brazil’s President

Friday, 04/01/2019 09:33
Mr. Jair Bolsonaro, a former army captain and seven-term congressman, has been sworn in as Brazil’s 42nd President.

Newly-elected President Jair Bolsonaro (Photo: Reuters)

He won the presidential election by a wide margin against Fernando Haddad of the left-wing Workers’ Party on October 28th.

“This is the beginning of Brazil’s liberation from socialism, political correctness and a bloated state,” Bolsonaro said in an address to the nation, made after he donned the presidential sash.

The new president, 63, vowed to respect democracy and carry out difficult economic reforms needed to get Latin America's biggest economy back on track, saying "we have a great nation to rebuild".

Bolsonaro takes office in a country of 200 million suffering from prolonged economic malaise, rising insecurity and a massive corruption scandal that rocked political and financial institutions.

A small number of foreign heads of state attended the ceremony, including regional Presidents, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban. 

Agencia Brasil, a state news outlet, said the full list of foreign dignitaries was not publicized before the event for security reasons./.

Compiled by BTA

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