Jair Bolsonaro: Brazil’s new far-right president urges unity

Brazil’s far-right President Jair Bolsonaro has used his inaugural speech to promise to build a “society without discrimination or division”.

The former army captain told Congress he wanted a “national pact” to free Brazil of corruption, crime and economic mismanagement.

In a swipe at the left, he vowed to free Brazil of “ideology”.

He is seen as a deeply divisive figure whose racist, homophobic and misogynistic remarks have angered many.

Mr Bolsonaro, 63, won the presidential election by a wide margin against Fernando Haddad of the left-wing Workers’ Party on 28 October.

He was propelled to victory by campaign promises to curb Brazil’s rampant corruption and crime.

US President Donald Trump commended him for his speech on Tuesday, saying the US was “with” him.

Among the foreign guests at the inauguration were US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa.