Brazilians celebrated today as they prepared for the historic swearing in of Mr Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva as the nation's first working-class president.
With the classes that gave him a record-breaking 52 million votes in his fourth attempt at the presidency in mind, the former metalworker organized a party for the people rather than for dignitaries.
Festivities kicked off with country music and more than 150,000 people were expected to converge on the central lawn leading to the white Congress, where Mr Lula (57) is to take his oath.
Mr Lula was to walk up the ramp of the presidential palace to receive the sash from Mr Fernando Henrique Cardoso, who was stepping down after two consecutive four-year terms. It will be the first time in 40 years an elected president passed the sash to another elected president.
Revelers celebrated as they would for Brazil's world-famous soccer victories, driving along the sweeping avenues of the capital, honking horns, and dancing in a sea of green and yellow, the colors of the Brazilian flag, and deep red, the color of Mr Lula's leftist Workers' Party.
In a country with one of the worst wealth distributions in the world, only surpassed by three African nations, the arrival of a man who never made it past elementary school to the highest office heralds a new era for the 170 million people, 53 million of whom live in poverty.
Although the New Year's holiday kept some heads of state from attending the inauguration, most of the presidents from neighboring countries were on hand, including President Fidel Castro of Cuba and Mr Hugo Chavez of Venezuela, two leftists who have supported Mr Lula in his long quest for the presidency.
The United States sent chief trade negotiator Mr Robert Zoellick, underscoring the importance of commercial relations between the largest economies of North and South America.