Jair Messias Bolsonaro (PSL), 63, was sworn in as Brazil's 42nd President during an inauguration ceremony with an unprecedented security operation. Wearing a bulletproof vest and surrounded by thousands of people, his first speech as president, in the Brazilian Congress, had a conciliatory tone. He reaffirmed his "commitment to build a society with no discrimination nor divisions," and spoke about governing in partnership with the Legislative.

He asked Brazilian lawmakers for their support in approving new bills regarding public security and promised reforms to recover trust in the economy. He also said that changes would be necessary to promote a new growth cycle, and they would require a "true pact among society and the Executive, Legislative and Judiciary powers, in search of new paths for a new Brazil."

Later, in a second public speech in front of Palácio do Planalto, his new official residence, Bolsonaro's statement recaptured his campaign's tone: "The people are breaking free from socialism, from the inversion of values, a bloated State and the politically correct," the president said. He also said he wanted to fight "nefarious ideologies" that destroy values, traditions, and families while defending outlaws and criminalizes police officers.

In the end, Bolsonaro said: "Our flag will never be red. It will only be red if we need to bleed over it to keep it green and yellow," in a veiled reference to flags from former socialists countries, like China and the former USSR, and the Workers' Party symbol, which also adopts the color.
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Breaking protocol, First Lady Michelle Bolsonaro, 38, made her speech before the president and using sign language.

^{Translated by NATASHA MADOV}

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