[size=14pt]Brazil inaugurates first female president[/size]
By Helena de Moura, CNN
January 1, 2011 7:29 p.m. EST

(CNN) -- Brazil's first female president was sworn in Saturday amid cheers and tears from supporters, many of whom followed her rise from freedom fighter brutally persecuted by the country's military junta in the 1960s to head of state.
The world watched as the nation's first female president announced her new directives as president, drawing attention to the historic weight of her presidency.
"This is the first time that the presidential sash hangs over the shoulders of a woman," she said.
"I am committed to honoring women, to protecting the most vulnerable and to govern for all."
"From now on I am the president of all Brazilians," a tearful Rousseff told the crowd.
Rousseff, 62, replaces Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, the most popular president in Brazil's recent history. Rousseff served as his chief of staff.
Rousseff, who was elected in October in a runoff vote, was sworn in just before 3 p.m. local time, along with her vice president, Michel Temer.
Brazil elects first female president

Chanting the song of Rousseff's PT Worker's Party -- "Ole ole ole ola,  Lula , Dilma, " -- crowds gathered in the historic National Congress in support of their new president, a guerrilla fighter-turned politician who will now head one of the world's largest economies.
Brazil is still struggling with poverty, crime and corruption, despite the steady optimism projected by the nation's financial institutions.
Rousseff's inauguration Saturday was attended by 23 heads of state, nine vice presidents, 76 ambassadors and 24 secretaries of state, including Hillary Clinton, with whom she shared a brief handshake.
Rousseff's had a somewhat longer encounter with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, signaling a closer relationship with emerging nations and challenging U.S. hegemony.



"We will give great attention to emerging nations," Rousseff told members of Congress during her inaugural speech.
"We can transform our region into an essential component of a multipolar world that is to come, giving greater consistency to Mercosul and multilateral forums," she said, referring to an alliance of South American nations.
"We will not make the smallest concession to the protectionism from rich nations that suffocate any opportunity for so many nations to overcome poverty through the hard work of production," she said.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/americas/01/01/brazil.female.president/index.html

Whither Nigeria?. When are we going to hand over power to the women for a brighter and better future?

Chanting the song of Rousseff's PT Worker's Party -- "[b]Ole ole ole ola, Lula , Dilma, [/b]" -- crowds gathered in the historic National Congress in support of their new president, a guerrilla fighter-turned politician who will now head one of the world's largest economies.

Is she a thief?.

Welcome Ms Rousseff. Another left-centre President for South America.

Madame President Rousseff is a worthy successor of Lula who transformed the Brazilian economy. I see nothing wrong of the left-centre approach that Lula implemented in Brazil, because it has helped many Brazilians rise from poverty. Brazil is a stronger nation with its robust and growing economy and its growing influence in the international system. It is good to see a vibrant democracy in that hemisphere as well. And the fact that the President Rousseff has vowed to continue to follow Lula's policies should be a breath of fresh air for many in Brazil. There is a reason why Lula has an approval rating of over 70%, which is amazing for a national leader of any country. This is a momentous occasion for the good people of Brazil as their nation rise in status.