Online
\nMexico
\nAndr\u00e9s Manuel L\u00f3pez Obrador – Mexico\u2019s first leftist president in seven decades – has been sworn in at a ceremony in the country\u2019s parliament.
\nThe former Mexico City mayor pledged to end corruption and impunity to transform the nation on behalf of the poor and marginalised.
\nThe 65-year-old, popularly known by his initials Amlo, won a landslide victory in July – his third presidential bid.
\nThe political veteran begins his six-year term with approval ratings of 56%.
\nHis predecessor Enrique Pe\u00f1a Nieto leaves office with only 24% – his administration was plagued with corruption scandals and murder rates reaching record-high levels.
\nPresident L\u00f3pez Obrador inherits an immediate foreign policy issue – what to do about the thousands of Central American migrants camping on the US-Mexico border.
\nForeign dignitaries including US Vice-President Mike Pence, first daughter Ivanka Trump and Venezuelan President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro attended the inauguration in the capital.
\nBritish Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, who Mr L\u00f3pez Obrador considers a close friend, was also present.
\nL\u00f3pez Obrador – whose leftist National Regeneration Movement party (Morena) will lead a coalition government – later took part in a traditional indigenous ceremony in Mexico City\u2019s Zocalo square.
\n\u201cWe will carry out a peaceful and orderly but also deep and radical transformation,\u201d the silver-haired leader said in his first speech to Congress. \u201cBecause we will put an end to the corruption and impunity that are blocking Mexico\u2019s rebirth.\u201d
\nMr L\u00f3pez Obrador reiterated many of the populist pledges he made during his campaign, tackling crime, poverty and corruption. He intends to rule frugally – selling Mexico\u2019s presidential plane, not living in the presidential palace, and by cutting his own salary by 60%.
\nMexico has privatised almost every part of its economy over the past three decades and Amlo vowed to reverse what he called disastrous neo-liberal economic policies of his predecessors.
\nHe promised that he would \u201cnever seek re-election\u201d and more surprisingly, announced his intention to promote a recall referendum during his administration, allowing voters to remove an elected official through a direct vote.
\n\u201cI no longer belong to myself, I belong to you, I belong to the people of Mexico,\u201d the new president said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Online Mexico Andr\u00e9s Manuel L\u00f3pez Obrador – Mexico\u2019s first leftist president in seven decades – has been sworn in at a ceremony in the country\u2019s parliament. The former Mexico City mayor pledged to end corruption and impunity to transform the nation on behalf of the poor and marginalised. The 65-year-old, popularly known by his initials […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-38255","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-world"],"yoast_head":"\n