MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay — Tabare Vazquez, a leftist former cancer specialist, was inaugurated as Uruguay's president Tuesday, promising to bring help to the poor in a country still recovering from the worst recession in its history.
Vazquez, who was raised in an impoverished neighborhood of Montevideo as the son of an oil refinery worker, said he would move quickly to implement a $100-million "social emergency" program to aid the indigent and unemployed.
"We promised changes and we will bring them," Vazquez said in his inaugural address. He said his government would seek "progressive and responsible changes ... benefiting those who need them to reach a life of dignity."
Though Uruguay historically has been one of Latin America's most affluent and literate societies, a third of the population now lives below the poverty level.
Vazquez, 65, won an October election that brought a resounding victory to his center-left Broad Front-Progressive Encounter coalition, which took control of both houses of Congress. Its win broke the long monopoly on power held by the National and Colorado parties.
"I'm 35 years old and I'm out of work, so I need things to get better," said Norma Viera, one of the thousands who took to the streets Tuesday to celebrate the inauguration.
"This is a very emotional moment for us, because of all the years our people have suffered."
In 2002, the lowest point in Uruguay's recession, the economy shrank 11%. The official unemployment rate hit 20%, and about 100,000 people left the country in search of work. In the last year, however, the country has seen a strong recovery.
"We're optimists, we think he'll make good on his promises," said Alvaro Herrera, who attended the inauguration with his baby girl.
"I never voted for the left before, but this time I did because I agreed with what a lot of people were saying: Our situation was desperate."
Though he is a longtime socialist, early indications are that Vazquez, like other South American leftists brought to power in recent years, will choose a path of caution and fiscal prudence.
The most radical act of his first days in office is expected to be the restoration of diplomatic relations with Cuba. The countries broke off ties in 2002 after the government of Jorge Batlle criticized Cuba's human rights record.
Cuban President Fidel Castro was expected to attend the inauguration, but canceled at the last minute for health reasons, Uruguayan officials said.
