Lula da Silva is sworn in as Brazil's president

Jair Bolsonaro will not hand over the Presidency to Lula in person 2:36

(CNN) --

The Brazilian congress has sworn in Lula da Silva as Brazil's president, marking the beginning of Lula's third term in office.

"I promise to uphold, defend and comply with the constitution, observe the laws, promote the general good of the Brazilian people, support the unity, integrity and independence of Brazil," said Lula da Silva.

Parliamentarians applauded Lula before breaking into a chant of “ole, ole ola, Lula, Lula.”

Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva greets supporters accompanied by his wife Rosangela da Silva, Vice President-elect Geraldo Alckmin and his wife, Maria Lucia Ribeiro Alckmin, on their way to the National Congress for his inauguration ceremony, in Brasilia, on December 1. January 2023. Credit: CARL DE SOUZA/AFP via Getty Images

The president of the Senate opened the ceremony paying homage to Pele and Pope Benedict with a minute of silence.

During the ceremony, Lula broke with traditional protocol to tell a short story about the pen he used to sign congressional documents.

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Credit: CARL DE SOUZA/AFP via Getty Images

"In 1989 I was at a rally in Piauí, then we walked to the church of San Benito, and a citizen gave me this pen and asked me to use it to sign if I win the elections in '89. I didn't win the elections in '89, I didn't win in '94, I didn't win '98. In 2002 I won but when I got here I forgot my pen and I signed with a senator's pen, in 2006 I signed with a senate pen and now I found the pen, and I'm doing it in honor to the people of the state of Piauí”, he said.

• Lula da Silva is the protagonist of a historic return to the presidency.

  She faces a divided Brazil

Credit: EVARISTO SA/AFP via Getty Images

Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva