Xiomara Castro has been sworn in as the first female president of Honduras, coming into power amid a legislative crisis and a climate of political uncertainty.
Castro, the leader of Honduras’ left-wing Freedom and Refoundation Party (Libre) Party, was sworn in during a ceremony on Thursday that was attended by US Vice President Kamala Harris.
In November, she convincingly won the country’s election, but takes office as Honduras faces dispute about who will lead Congress. At the election, Castro won the largest number of votes in the country’s history.
In her inauguration speech, 62-year-old Castro said she would work to tackle corruption, address widespread poverty in Honduras and work to improve inequality amid an economic crisis worsened by COVID-19. She has also promised to liberalise abortion laws.
“The economic catastrophe that I’m inheriting is unparalleled in the history of our country,” she said.
“My government will not continue the maelstrom of looting that has condemned generations of young people to pay the debt they incurred behind their back.”
Honduras is currently troubled by high unemployment, violence and corruption, and challenged healthcare and education systems.
Castro’s husband Manuel Zalaya was president of Honduras from 2006 until 2009 until he was ousted by a coup. Her election marks the end of a 12-year reign of the right wing National party in Honduras. She replaces President Juan Orlando Hernández, who has faced allegations of drug trafficking.
Castro has previously run for office twice – in 2013 and 2017 – and was propelled to electoral victory in November amid an anti- Hernández sentiment sweeping the nation. Hernández is expected to be indicted by US prosecutors on drug trafficking charges when he leaves office.
Castro’s election as president has garnered support from the Biden administration in the United States, who are seeking to use the opportunity to gain an ally in Central America.