Brazil Inaugurates A Female President

Since 1990, five women in Central and South American nations have become heads of state.   Brazil, the largest and most populous nation on the South American continent joined that hemispheric trend by electing its first female president in Dilma Rousseff back in November.

She was a minister and later the chief of staff to outgoing two term president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and now has the task of succeeding one of the more popular presidents in Brazilian history.    He was Brazil's first president who had come from a working class background and left office with an 87% approval rating thanks to his social and wealth redistribution policies that helped pull 20 million people out of poverty.

The 63 year old Rousseff campaigned on continuing the groundbreaking reforms of President Lula and fixing the education, health care and transportation infrastructure.   The infrastructure issues take on even more significance with Brazil hosting the looming on the horizon 2014 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 Olympics.

"I am going to consolidate the transformative work done by President Lula," she said during her 40 minute inaugural address. "He changed the way the government is run and led the people to trust in themselves."

And it's going to be interesting to watch and see how President Rousseff handles the daunting task of succeeding her political mentor as well.