Valparaiso, Chile, March 12, SPA -- Socialist pediatrician Michelle Bachelet, who suffered prison, torture and exile under Chile's military dictatorship, was sworn in as the nation's first female president on Saturday and promised to heed the voices of all Chileans. "I want a government in which citizens have an active participation," the 54-year-old told residents of the town of Casablanca shortly after her inauguration. "A government at the service of people." Bachelet, who was elected in a January 15 runoff, took her oath before Senate President Eduardo Frei at the crowded Hall of Honor of Chile's Congress in this port city near Santiago, applauded by hundreds of people, including most of the leftist leaders that recently have come to power in South America. In her first official act as president, Bachelet fulfilled a key campaign promise: she swore in her 20-member Cabinet of 10 men and 10 women. She has promised to have equal numbers of men and women in some 300 decision-making posts, the Associated Press reported. She also plans legislation that would require political parties to include a certain percentage of women in their lists of candidates in congressional and municipal elections. U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who met with Bachelet for 30 minutes ahead of the ceremony, described her election as a triumph of democracy. Rice told Chile's state television that she expects U.S.-Chile relations will remain as close under Bachelet as they were under her predecessor and fellow Socialist, Ricardo Lagos. Also on hand was the South American leader who most vexes Washington, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, who gave the new president a kiss on the hand.--SPA 13 24 Local Time 10 24 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/338491