Mauricio Macri has been sworn in as president of Argentina, in a ceremony boycotted by his predecessor, Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner.
The centre-right Mr Macri took the oath of office in Congress and then in his inaugural speech said he would work for all Argentines. He vowed to tackle poverty, corruption and drug trafficking, and pledged to end confrontation in politics.
Ms Fernandez boycotted the inauguration in a row over the venue.
Mr Macri, 56, told Congress: “As president I want to be a citizen who can communicate with all Argentines.
“Politics for me is not a competition to see who’s got the bigger ego. It’s working together for the good of the people.”
He vowed to work “tirelessly for you in these coming four years”.
Late on Wednesday Ms Fernandez had bid farewell to supporters in an emotional speech, urging people to take to the streets if they felt betrayed by the new centre-right government.
This is the first time since the end of the military dictatorship in 1983 that a president has not attended the inauguration of a successor.
The conservative Mr Macri triumphed in last month’s election, promising to move from a largely state-controlled economy under the leftist Ms Fernandez to one that is more free market-orientated, easing trade and currency controls.
He has also promised to improve relations with the US.
In his speech in Congress he said: “We’ve got to take confrontation out of the centre of politics. With fighting no-one wins, with dialogue, everyone wins.
“A new time is coming, a time of dialogue, a time of team work.”
He said those who had voted for him wanted three goals – zero poverty, an end to drug trafficking and the unity of all Argentines.
To applause, he said he wanted a judiciary cleaned of its political affiliations.
Mr Macri has now travelled to the presidential palace to receive the sash and baton of office.
Ms Fernandez had insisted that the handover of the symbols of office should also take place in Congress, where her party holds a majority of seats.
She argued this was a tradition established by her and her husband and predecessor in office, Nestor Kirchner.
