GUATEMALA CITY: Guatemala’s new president pledged “drastic” measures against corrupt officials as he was sworn into office on Thursday, following an election campaign last fall dominated by anti-graft fervor.

A former TV comedian who has never held office, Jimmy Morales swept to power in presidential election last October after capitalizing on anger over a corruption scandal that led to the resignation and arrest of former President Otto Perez.

“We will be drastic toward those who in blind madness dare to steal the public’s money,” said Morales, paraphrasing a line from the country’s national anthem.

Morales landslide victory was attributed to widespread discontent with Guatemala’s political class and compounded by a UN-backed investigation into a multi-million dollar customs racket that reached deep into the previous administration.

But the new president’s ability to approve new anti-graft laws will require reaching agreement with the country’s more established political parties as Morales’ center-right National Convergence Front (FCN) party controls just 11 out of 158 seats in the new Congress.

United States Vice President Joe Biden met with Morales and the leaders of El Salvador and Honduras before the swearing in Thursday.

Biden congratulated Morales for his commitment to fight corruption. He noted that thousands of Guatemalans had gone into the streets to demand change and elected Morales to do the job.

Morales petitioned Biden Thursday to add Guatemala to the list of countries granted temporary protected status, which provides its eligible citizens in the US a degree of temporary protection from deportation and allows them to work and travel.

El Salvador and Honduras already have the status known as TPS. It is usually granted in cases in which the country is suffering from an armed conflict or natural disaster that makes it difficult to receive its citizens.

Guatemala has been beset by corruption scandals that forced President Otto Perez Molina and his vice president from office.