Alberto Fernández assumed the presidency of Argentina on Tuesday, returning the country to the ranks of left-leaning nations at a moment of right-wing resurgence in the Western Hemisphere.
Assuming the vice presidency is Cristina Fernández, 66, a polarizing figure who served as president from 2007 to 2015 and whose presence has raised questions about the extent of her influence in the new administration.
Alberto Fernández, a 60-year-old lawyer, faces the grave and immediate challenge of trying to pull Argentina from economic crisis: The country has a 35% poverty rate and is struggling to make debt payments on time.
The economy is expected to shrink 3% by the end of 2019, with inflation at 55%.