Fifteen years of left-wing governments came to an end in Uruguay on 1 March with the investiture of Luis Alberto Lacalle Pou as president. Lacalle Pou delivered a 30-minute address to congress, during which he promised to tackle security, revive the economy, and improve education standards. A diplomatic realignment is also underway: Lacalle Pou pointedly eschewed inviting any leaders of authoritarian leftist governments to his inauguration ceremony. There was another head of state conspicuous by his absence. On the other side of the River Plate, Argentina’s President Alberto Fernández opted to open the new session of congress instead of attend the ceremony. During a speech more than twice the length of Lacalle Pou’s, Fernández announced economic measures, a judicial reform, and became the first Argentine head of state to issue a call to legalise abortion.End of preview - This article contains approximately 1829 words.
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