MSNBC – A one-time Marxist guerrilla who was tortured under Brazil’s long dictatorship became the first female president of Latin America’s largest nation when she was sworn in Saturday.

Dilma Rousseff takes the presidency from Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, her political mentor who used his enormous popularity to help propel her to the presidency, a remarkable rise for a woman who less than a year ago was a little-known career technocrat who has never before held elected office.

Rousseff inherits a nation on the rise. In the eight years under Silva, Brazil has sharply cut poverty while its economy has boomed, and it has increased its political clout on the global stage. Brazil will host the 2014 World Cup and is expected to be the world’s fifth-largest economy by the time the 2016 Olympics come to the nation.

But huge challenges also await Rousseff, who served as Silva’s energy minister before becoming his chief of staff, where her tough managerial manner earned her the moniker “Iron Lady.” In addition to sweeping improvements Brazil needs in its infrastructure, security and education, she confronts the danger of following the charismatic Silva, who leaves office with an 87 percent approval rating.

“Dilma will have to meet high expectations that the country is on an upward trajectory and life will continue to get better for the average Brazilian,” said Michael Shifter, president of the Inter-American Dialogue. “That will not be an easy challenge.”

Shifter said it could prove difficult for Brazil to maintain the pace of success it saw under Silva.

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