GENERAL HUMBERTO CASTELO BRANCO WAS SWORN IN ON WEDNESDAY AS THE NEW PRESIDENT OF BRAZIL. HE RECEIVED THE PRESIDENTIAL CREDENTIALS AND TOOK THE OATH OF OFFICE AT A JOINT SESSION OF BOTH HOUSES OF CONGRESS. AFTERWARDS SENOR RANIERI MAZZILI, PRESIDENT OF THE CONGRESS, HANDED OVER THE SASH OF OFFICE AND THE NEW PRESIDENT REVIEWED A MARCH PAST BY THREE AND A HALF THOUSAND TROOPS.

IN HIS INAUGURAL SPEECH TO CONGRESS PRESIDENT BRANCO PLEDGED TO UPHOLD THE CONSTITUTION AND SAID BRAZIL'S INDEPENDENCE WOULD BE "THE BASIC PRINCIPLE OF OUR INTERNATIONAL POLICY". HE WENT ON: "WE WILL GO AHEAD WITH THE ASSURANCE THAT REMEDIES FOR THE WRONG-DOINGS OF THE EXTREME LEFT WILL NOT BE A SIGNAL FOR THE BIRTH OF A REACTIONARY RIGHT-WING".

HE SAID THE CENTRE OF HIS GOVERNMENT'S CONCERNS WOULD BE THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF BRAZIL AND ITS MORAL, EDUCATIONAL, MATERIAL AND POLITICAL PROGRESS.

THE NEW PRESIDENT WHO IS SIXTY-THREE WILL REMAIN IN OFFICE FOR TWENTY-TWO MONTHS.

(THE APPOINTMENT OF PRESIDENT BRANCO WAS APPROVED BY CONGRESS LAST SATURDAY. HIS APPOINTMENT FOLLOWS THE OUSTING OF PRESIDENT GOULART IN A REVOLUTION A FORTNIGHT AGO.)