Dilma Rousseff Elected Brazil's President

A former Marxist guerrilla who was tortured and imprisoned during Brazil's long dictatorship was elected Sunday as the first female president of Latin America's biggest nation, a country in the midst of a rapid economic and political rise.

A statement from the Supreme Electoral Court, which oversees elections, said governing party candidate Dilma Rousseff won the election.

With nearly all ballots counted, Rousseff had 56 percent of the vote compared to just under 44 percent for her centrist rival, Jose Serra, the electoral court said. In a 25-minute victory speech to jubilant supporters in Brasilia, Rousseff said that her first promise was to "honor the women" of Brazil and that she hoped her win would allow "fathers and mothers to look their daughters in the eyes and say, 'Yes, a woman can.'"

Note EU-Digest: Among the 195 nations recognized by the UN, and following the election of  Dilma Rousseff in Brazil (but not counting royalty), there are only 25 elected female heads-of -state amongst the leaders of the world. That is a poor average, but a step in the right direction.

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