(CNN) -- On January 16, 1970, Dilma Rousseff and several female comrades were escorted in a military van to the notorious Damsels Tower in the Tiradentes Prison where, she told Brazil's congress, she was "barbarically tortured" for nearly two years.
On Saturday, nearly 41 years after her arrest, Rousseff was escorted again by the same military who sent her to prison, but this time, paraded through the streets of the nation's capital as she is sworn in as Brazil's first female president.
Known as the "subversive Joan of Arc," Dilma was tortured under Brazil's dictatorship for her activities as a left-wing guerrilla fighter in the late 1960s.
The world will be watching Rousseff's inauguration Saturday, which is expected to be attended by 23 heads of state, nine vice presidents, 76 ambassadors and 24 secretaries of state, including Hillary Clinton. The impressive lineup represents a more robust foreign presence than the inauguration of her predecessor, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, one of Brazil's most popular presidents.
Organizers estimate that about 20,000 people will line the Esplanade of the Ministries where Rousseff will also honor 11 women who spent time in prison with her at Tiradentes, according to state-run Agencia Brasil.
Historian Carlos Fico, a leading historian on Brazil's brutal military rule that began in 1964, said Brazilians -- especially victims of torture -- are moved she chose to include her cell mates in the historic inauguration.
"It coincides with many changes taking place in Brazil," Fico said.
"While so many suffered terrible forms of torture, women were victimized in more ways than others, given the machismo that pervaded in the military. Many women talk to prefer not to mention the details," he said.
Rousseff, 62, was elected in October.
As the nation's first woman to hold the office, Rousseff said at the time of her election that she has a mission to fight for more gender equality in Brazil.
"I hope the fathers and mothers of little girls will look at them and say yes, women can". CNN
