Brazil's popular leader marks first year in office

Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff marked her first year in office on Sunday, riding 72 percent popularity with a steady grip on the reins of the world's sixth largest economy. The 64-year-old economist and former urban guerrilla has developed a style quite different from that of her predecessor and mentor Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva: more managerial, more discreet and without Lula's charisma. "Her tougher style of a manager gives her the image of an 'iron lady' who tackles corruption, and this is something that the traditional middle class likes," said Ricardo Ribeiro, an analyst with the MCM consulting firm. Her record high popularity -- for a first year in office -- is driven by her anti-corruption advocacy and Brazilians' "satisfaction with the state of the economy," said Renato Fonseca, head of research at the Brasilia-based National Industry Confederation. Since being sworn in in January as the country's first woman president, seven of her 38 ministers have quit, including six who were embroiled in allegations of graft and embezzlement. One of the six was Orlando Silva, who resigned as sports minister amid corruption allegations just as the country prepares to host the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 summer Olympics. Other key challenges facing Rousseff, a former Marxist guerrilla who battled the military dictatorship in the 1970's and was jailed and tortured, include controlling her unruly coalition and ensuring continued economic growth. In her first year, she enjoyed a kind of honeymoon as heiress to Lula, who stepped down with 80-percent popularity. "Now the people may be more critical and demand more from the government, including reforms that have yet to be carried out, particularly if the (global economic) crisis affects Brazil and if in-fighting among her allies (in the government coalition) grows," said Joao Augusto de Castro, an analyst with the BrazilPolitics think tank. Managing an alliance of 10 traditionally unruly parties that each have their own interests will be no easy task next year, when elections are due in the country's 5000 municipalities. Ranked by Forbes magazine as the world's third most powerful woman, Rousseff leads a country of 190 million that has now vaulted past Britain to become the world's sixth largest economic power. Economic resilience has been a central theme of Rousseff's administration, including measures to boost domestic industries and consumption. In 2010 under Lula's stewardship, the Brazilian economy grew 7.5 percent, but this year it is expected to expand only three percent due to the impact of the global economic slowdown. How it will fare in 2012 is unclear, according to analysts. But Rousseff sounded an optimistic note, vowing that 2012 will be a "prosperous" year for Brazilians, "better than 2011." An economic slowdown would thwart her goal of pulling 16 million Brazilians out of extreme poverty and would jeopardize the social gains achieved by the Lula administration, which moved 28 million poor people into the middle class. The government is banking on GDP growth of between four and five percent in 2012, and has vowed to equip the country with first-class infrastructure, health and education. Like her mentor and fellow Workers' Party member Lula, Rousseff is firmly committed to keeping the economy humming and reducing the yawning gap between rich and poor. But Finance Minister Guido Mantega said this week it would take 10 to 20 years to match the Europeans' standard of living. On the foreign policy front, Rousseff has shown more pragmatism than her predecessor, eschewing rhetoric and undertaking fewer trips abroad. She has given priority to relations with her South American neighbors, particularly Argentina. And she is seeking greater coordination on key global issues with fellow members of the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) club of emerging powers. This year, Rousseff hosted US President Barack Obama, and she is due to visit the United States early in 2012. She also traveled to China and to Africa, a continent where Brazil is keen to project its growing influence. Rousseff wants increased weight for Brazil in the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and will continue pressing for a permanent seat for her country in the UN Security Council.