Michelle Bachelet Assumes Chile

Santiago de Chile
Michelle Bachelet assumed the Presidency of Chile before the Congress, in Puerto de Valparaíso, on Saturday, becoming the first female president in the history of this South American country.

The head of State, 54, officially took the president post, preceded by 46 males in nearly 200 years of Republican mandate, before over 30 Latin American, European and African leaders, as well as 120 international delegations.

Bachelet also becomes the third socialist party member, after Salvador Allende (1970-1973) and de Ricardo Lagos to be at the helm of the country.

The presidents of Argentina (Nestor Kirchner), Bolivia (Evo Morales), Brazil (Luiz Inacio Lula Da Silva), Uruguay (Tabaré Vásquez), Peru (Alejandro Toledo) and Venezuela (Hugo Chávez), among others, were at the Inauguration ceremony act.

The president will offer an honor lunch to her guests in the Cerro del Castillo summer residence, and after that she will return to Santiago de Chile.