Brasilia, Jan. 2 (IANS): Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has been sworn in as the new president of Brazil -- a third time he has held the country's highest office.
The inauguration of Lula da Silva and his Vice President Geraldo Alckmin took place at 3 p.m. pm Sunday during a plenary session of the Chamber of Deputies in Brasilia, reports Xinhua news agency.
This is Lula da Silva's third presidential term and his return to power comes after having spent more than a year in prison between 2018 and 2019, due to a controversial sentence that was later annulled by the Supreme Court.
In October, he was elected president with 60.3 million votes, or 50.9 per cent of the vote, while then President Jair Bolsonaro obtained 58.2 million votes or 49.1 per cent.
Lula da Silva returns to the presidency with an agenda focused on strong social programs aimed at fighting poverty, under the motto "union and reconstruction".
A sea of Lula supporters had gathered in front of Congress since early Sunday morning, decked out in the red colour of his Workers' Party.
More than 60 artists, including Samba legend Martinho da Vila, were booked to perform on two giant stages decorated in the national flag as part of a music festival dubbed "Lulapalooza".