In Honduras, Xiomara Castro was sworn in Thursday as the first woman president in the country’s history. Thousands of supporters attended Castro’s inauguration ceremony at the national stadium in the capital Tegucigalpa. During her speech, Castro ordered free electricity for Hondurans living in extreme poverty, vowed justice for Berta Cáceres and other murdered land and water defenders, and said her government will not continue to loot Honduras.

President Xiomara Castro: “Poverty increased by 74% to make us the poorest country in Latin America. This figure by itself explains the migrant caravan of thousands of people of all ages who flee to the north, Mexico and the United States, looking for a place and a way to subsist, regardless of risk it implies for their lives.”

Castro’s presidency marks the end of a brutal 12-year regime by the U.S.-backed right-wing National Party, which first came to power after the 2009 U.S.-backed coup that overthrew Castro’s husband, former leftist President Manuel Zelaya. This comes as many are demanding outgoing Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández be indicted and extradited to the United States to face charges of aiding drug traffickers, including his brother.