Yamandú Orsi, a telegenic left-leaning former mayor and history teacher, has taken office as Uruguay’s new president.

Uruguay is set for a political shift to the center-left as Yamandu Orsi took office on Saturday as the country's next president. Orsi, a 57-year-old former mayor backed by leftist ex-President Jose "Pepe" Mujica,

Yamandú Orsi, a telegenic left-leaning former mayor and history teacher, has taken office as Uruguay’s new president. On Saturday in a swearing-in ceremony, he took the helm of a government that has pledged to strengthen the social safety net while reversing years of economic stagnation.

Yamandu Orsi was sworn in Saturday as president of Uruguay, returning the South American country of 3.4 million to leftist governance after five years of predecessor Luis Lacalle Pou's center-right