Brazil Inauguration: Jair Bolsonaro sworn in as 38th president, vows big changes

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03:12

Shifting to Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro has been sworn in as country's 38th president amid concerns that his radical views could isolate Latin America's biggest economy. Lucrecia Franco reports from Brasilia.

Tens of thousands of Brazilians attended the swearing in of right-wing firebrand Jair Bolsonaro as their new president in the country's capital, Brasilia.

There was tight security as his motorcade made its way along wide promenades - amid grand pomp and regalia. Expectations were high among his supporters:

"I hope that Jair Bolsonaro is going to improve the economy and the public security that were his biggest campaign promises."

"Thank God we are getting rid of the leftists that mocked the Brazilian people and destroyed our economy. Thank God Bolsonaro was elected."

Speaking at the National Congress, the 63-year-old former army captain called for unity.

JAIR BOLSONARO BRAZILIAN PRESIDENT "I call every congressman to help me in the mission of restoring and lifting the country, freeing it for good from corruption, from crime, from economic irresponsibility and from ideological submission."

Twelve foreign leaders attended the event including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and China's Vice-Chairman of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, Ji Bingxuan, were also among attendees.

LUCRECIA FRANCO BRASILIA "But Bolsonaro and his inauguration team left leaders from Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua off the guest list for the ceremony, a decision some analysts say could isolate Brazil in the region."

It is the first time regional neighbors with diplomatic relations with Brazil have not been invited to a presidential inauguration.

PEDRO CASTELO BRANCO, POLITICAL ANALYSTRIO DE JANEIRO STATE UNIVERSITY "He is been very ideological, and he said that his government wouldn't be ideological, they wouldn't be biased. They would like try to make more trade with more countries and so on and he is doing it the other way around."

Two of Brazil's largest left-wing parties, the Workers' Party and the Social Liberty Party, boycotted the ceremony.

Bolsonaro's rise to the presidency comes at a critical time for Brazil -- with soaring crime rates, a sluggish economy and open wounds from corruption scandals among its most pressing issues.

These are challenges the new president's supporters believe will be met by increased police and military force, downsizing government and privatizing state-run businesses.

Lucrecia Franco, CGTN, Brasilia.