Rousseff sworn in as Brazil president

Dilma Rousseff has been sworn in as the first female president of the largest Latin American country of Brazil on New Year Day in Brasilia.

Rousseff, 63, was appointed as the Chief of Staff by former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in June 2005 and later won the presidential election in which Lula could not contest because of term limits.

More than 4,000 security personnel have been deployed in the streets of the capital to maintain the safety of the inauguration ceremony.

Many heads of state, most of them from Latin America, attended the inauguration ceremony.

Thousands of Brazilians took part in the ceremony. Many people gathered outside the presidential palace.

“Dilma will have to meet high expectations that the country is on an upward trajectory and life will continue to get better for the average Brazilian,” said Michael Shifter, president of the Inter-American Dialogue. “That will not be an easy challenge.”

The economist from Worker’s Party has vowed to maintain the policies that led to the economical and political growth of Brazil during the prosperous era of Lula.