A 51-year-old union leader and rural school teacher was sworn in as the new president of Peru. Pedro Castillo, who has never held public office, was sworn in during a ceremony held during the 200th anniversary of the country's independence from Spain.
Castillo was sworn in wearing his typical wide-brimmed straw hat. During his inaugural speech, Castillo promised to impose sweeping changes and combat corruption. He also promised to rein in monopolies and increase spending on education and health initiatives.
Castillo, the son of illiterate rural peasant farmers, also commemorated Peru's bicentenary. He said Spanish colonization created the "caste system," which has divided the people of Peru.
"This country is founded on the sweat of my ancestors. The story of this silenced Peru is also my story," Castillo said.
As a gesture of his resolve to eliminate the caste system, Castillo announced that he will not be governing the country from the presidential palace - known as the "House of Pizarro." He said the palace will instead be used as a display of the nation's history.
Analysts said Castillo will be facing significant challenges as the nation continues to struggle with a new wave of Covid-19 infections. He also faces pressure from his leftist political party and weak congressional support.
Castillo said his first order of business as Peru's president will be to bolster the government's efforts to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus. Since the start of the health crisis, more than 196,000 people have been killed by the virus.
As an educator with more than 25 years of experience, Castillo said the country's education sector was now in a state of emergency. He vowed to increase the nation's budget for educational programs and to establish a new ministry of science and technology. He said he also plans to rename the ministry of culture to better reflect diverse indigenous communities.
Some political experts have questioned Castillo's ability to make good on his promises, especially as he has still yet to appoint the members of his cabinet. Castillo has postponed the appointments until Friday.
