Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, was officially sworn in Saturday, becoming the country’s first leftist president in more than 70 years.
López Obrador pledged “a peaceful and orderly transition, but one that is deep and radical … because we will end the corruption and impunity that prevent Mexico’s rebirth,” according to The Associated Press.
{mosads}The 65-year-old political veteran has vowed to transform Mexico and reboot the country’s sluggish economy. A left-leaning populist, he has said that he intends to build more state-owned oil refineries and encourage Mexicans to consume more domestic products during his administration.
“Mexico’s crisis originated not only with the failure of the neoliberal policies applied over the last 36 years,” he said in his inaugural speech, “but also in the prevalence of the filthiest corruption.”
López Obrador, who won overwhelmingly in the country’s July election, has said he would stand up to President Trump, pledging he would not allow Mexico to be Trump’s “whipping boy” and that the White House’s immigration policies are “racist.”
He has also said he is open to having a working relationship with the Trump administration.
Vice President Pence, Energy Secretary Rick Perry, Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen and President Trump’s adviser and daughter, Ivanka Trump, attended the inauguration.
López Obrador succeeds Enrique Peña Nieto, who is leaving office with a historically low approval rating, largely due to Mexico’s rising homicide rate, the AP notes.