Ex-strongman’s brother sworn in as Maldives leader

Yaamin Abdul Gayoom AP PHOTO

MALE, Maldives- The Maldives’ new president has been sworn in, a day after his runoff victory capped a long, messy election that raised international concerns that the tiny archipelago nation may slip back to authoritarian rule.

In a close runoff on Saturday, voters chose Yaamin Abdul Gayoom, the brother of the Maldives’ former strongman, over the country’s first democratically elected leader.

Gayoom and his deputy, Mohamed Jameel, were sworn in Sunday by the country’s chief justice.

Gayoom, the brother of former autocrat Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, who ruled the Indian Ocean nation for 30 years, received 51.4 percent of the vote Saturday, according to the Elections Commission. Mohamed Nasheed, who led the Maldives’ struggle for democracy and was elected president in the country’s first multiparty election in 2008, had 48.6 percent.