Here's a little look at two the the world's new leaders...

Both South America and Africa saw their first elected leaders take office today. In Liberia Ellen Johnson Sirleaf took the oath to become president. Already refered to as Africa's Iron Lady, the Harvard-trained banker promised "a fundamental break with the past, thereby requiring we take bold and decisive steps to address the problems that for decades have stunted our progress, undermined national unity and kept old and new cleavages in ferment."

Dispte protests that the election was rigged (which election isn't?), the media have had no trouble finding people to speak well of the Iron Lady.
"I voted for George Weah but I accept Ellen because she is our ma and is going to take care of us," said Benedict Newon, a 19-year-old former child soldier. "I never carry gun again," Mr. Newon said, gesturing at his 8-month-old son and the pregnant belly of his wife, Fatou. "I have a future now. I got to protect it. I got to be patient with Ma Ellen."

Sirleaf faces huge problems to turn around the fotunes of nation crippled by US economic sanctions for the last nineteen years and beset by civil war for 14 years. The country has no piped water, no electricity grid and its roads, schools and health centers, where they still exist, barely function.

The European Union is supporting a program to electrify the capital, committing $70 million. The UN has 15,000 'peace-keeping' troops in the country at a cost of about $700 million a year. And the US (suprise suprise) is committed to rebuilding the country's armed forces.

If you hadn't guessed already, this Iron Lady is the neo-cons choice and the delegation ceremony was led by First Lady Laura Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Yes, this Iron lady is ready to open up the country to a full neo-liberal invasion. Will it bring wealth the the nation, of course, but who will benefit, at what cost?

Another Liberian, Pandora Matati, a 20-year-old former fighter, seemingly drunk on the hype said, "I love Ellen because she is going to do so much for us, With Ellen, anything is possible."

Indeed, three US oil companies, even before the votes had been counted, had already started negotiations to resume their activities. The talks, involving ConocoPhillips, Marathon Oil, Amerada Hess and Prime Minister Shukri Ghanem, were held on Sunday and 'focused on bringing into force the agreement' signed last December for the trio to resume operations after a 19-year break. The companies will resume exploiting oil and gas sites in Libya's Waha concessions, which were abandoned when US sanctions were imposed on the country in 1986.

The fields involved are in one of the richest oil and gas regions, and present important possibilities for development. Under the agreement, the three US firms will pay just 1.3 billon dollars for a 25 year concessions.



Meanwhile, on the otherside of the ocean another women takes power, this time becoming South America's first female elected president. Things might seem different, for unlike her right wing counterpart in the Liberia this women is apparently a socialist.

Some people interprete Michelle Bachelet's election in Chile as a sign that South America's socialist revolution is spreading. Bachelet's a strong, able woman. She has made no secret of her diverse opinions; she chose to have children outside of marriage, she ploughed on with a firm belief in her values; the kind of values which would typically stand to characterise the Left.

However, unlike other leftist leaders in the region, including Venezuela's Hugo Chávez and newly elected Evo Morales of Bolivia, there is no indicated that Bachelet intends to bring any radical change to Chile.

"We will continue to walk the same road," she said in her victory speech on Sunday, making it clear she intends to maintain the coalition's free-market economic polices. Sounds familiar?

If Ellen is the Liberian Maggie Thatcher, then it appears Bachelet will be the Tony Blair of Chiles New Labour.