Mexico City ? Felipe Calderon, protected by a scrum of sympathetic lawmakers, ignored catcalls and brawling lawmakers and rushed through the presidential oath of office in the congressional chamber Friday, a chaotic start to a term in which he pledged to heal a country divided by his narrow victory.

Later, in his first speech as Mexico’s president at the National Auditorium, Calderon offered to negotiate with leftist lawmakers who tried to block his inauguration and asked for the opportunity to win over the tens of thousands of protesters outside. But he warned rivals they wouldn’t be able to stall his government.

“I’m always ready to talk, but I won’t wait for dialogue before going to work,” the 44-year-old politician said. “The people are ready for action.”

Calderon rattled off a list of instructions to Cabinet members, telling them to slash his salary and their own, come up with a plan to overhaul the corrupt justice system, create a social net to help the country’s most vulnerable, build a competitive economy that encourages homegrown businesses and streamline the electoral system.

He promised to create jobs so millions of Mexicans don’t have to look for work elsewhere.

“Migration continues to divide our families,” he said. “Instead of leaving to work in the United States, I want to look for investment here in Mexico for our workers.”

The new president, a lawyer by training, spent most of his speech demanding a strict rule of law with no tolerance for violent protests, drug wars and kidnappings that have tarnished Mexico’s reputation and prompted Washington to warn U.S. citizens against travel south of the border.

“Laws must protect citizens, not criminals,” Calderon said. “It won’t be easy or quick. It will take time and a lot of money. But rest assured: This is a battle that I will lead.”