Juan Evo Morales Ayma
President of Bolivia
Incumbent
Assumed office  22 January 2006
Vice President	Álvaro García Linera
Preceded by	Eduardo Rodríguez
Born	26 October 1959 (1959-10-26) (age 48) Orinoca, Oruro, Bolivia
Political party	MAS
Religion	Roman Catholic

Juan Evo Morales Ayma (born October 26, 1959 in Orinoca, Oruro), popularly known as Evo (pronounced [ˈeβ̞o]), is the President of Bolivia, and has been declared the country's first fully indigenous head of state in the 470 years since the Spanish Conquest. The President of Bolivia is the head of state of Bolivia. According to the current constitution the president is elected by popular vote for a single non-renewable five year Events 565 - Eutychius is deposed as Patriarch of Constantinople by John Scholasticus. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Álvaro Marcelo García Linera (born October 19, 1962) is a Bolivian politician. Eduardo Rodríguez Veltzé (born March 2, 1956) is a former president of Bolivia; prior to that appointment he was the chief justice of the Events 740 - An Earthquake strikes Constantinople, causing much damage and death The year 1959 ( MCMLIX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Orinoca is a small town in the Bolivian Oruro Department. Orinoca has 163 inhabitants (2001 und is the administrative center of Orinoca District Oruro may refer to Oruro Bolivia - capital of the Bolivian Oruro Department Oruro Department - one of nine departments in Bolivia The Republic of Bolivia (República de Bolivia) named after Simón Bolívar, is a Landlocked country in central South America. The Movement for Socialism ( Movimiento al Socialismo, MAS alternately referred to as "Movement Toward Socialism" or "Movement to Socialism" is a Events 740 - An Earthquake strikes Constantinople, causing much damage and death The year 1959 ( MCMLIX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Orinoca is a small town in the Bolivian Oruro Department. Orinoca has 163 inhabitants (2001 und is the administrative center of Orinoca District Oruro is a department in Bolivia, with an area of 53588 km² Population (2001 census 391870 The President of Bolivia is the head of state of Bolivia. According to the current constitution the president is elected by popular vote for a single non-renewable five year The Republic of Bolivia (República de Bolivia) named after Simón Bolívar, is a Landlocked country in central South America. For indigenous peoples in the United States other than Hawaii and Alaska see also Native Americans in the United States. Head of state is the generic term for the individual or collective office that serves as the chief public representative of a Monarchic or Republican Nation-state The Spanish colonization of the Americas was Spain 's conquest settlement and rule over much of the Western hemisphere. ^[1][2][3][4] The latter claim is controversial,^[5] as several mestizo presidents preceded him. Mestizo is a Spanish term that was coined during the Spanish Empire to refer to people of mixed European and Amerindian ancestry in Latin ^[6]

Morales is the leader of Bolivia's cocalero movement — a loose federation of coca leaf-growing campesinos who are resisting the efforts of the United States government to eradicate coca in the province of Chapare in central Bolivia. Cocalero is a term that refers to the Coca leaf growers of Peru, Bolivia and Colombia. Not to be confused with Cocoa. Coca is a Plant in the family Erythroxylaceae, native to north-western South America The foreign policy of the United States is highly influential on the world stage as it is a Superpower. Coca eradication is a controversial strategy strongly promoted by the United States government as part of its " War on Drugs " to eliminate the Chapare, also called The Chapare, is a rural Province in the northern region of Cochabamba Department in central Bolivia. Morales is also leader of the Movement for Socialism political party (Movimiento al Socialismo, with the Spanish acronym MAS, meaning "more"), which was involved in social protests such as the gas conflict and the Cochabamba protests of 2000, along with many other groups, commonly referred to as social movements. The Movement for Socialism ( Movimiento al Socialismo, MAS alternately referred to as "Movement Toward Socialism" or "Movement to Socialism" is a The Bolivian gas conflict was a social confrontation in Bolivia centering on the exploitation of the country's vast Natural gas reserves The Cochabamba protests of 2000, also known as "The Cochabamba Water Wars" were a series of protests that took place in Cochabamba, Bolivia 's third largest Social movements are a type of group action. They are large informal groupings of Individuals and/or Organizations focused on specific

Contents 1 Background 2 Farming in the lowlands 3 Union activity 4 1995 election, formation of MAS 5 Expulsion from Parliament 6 The 2002 elections 7 The 2005 elections 8 Domestic Policy 8.1 Politics 8.2 Education reform 8.2.1 Indigenous languages in schools 8.2.2 Reform of religious classes in state schools 8.2.3 Aftermath 8.3 Economy 8.3.1 Nationalization of natural gas industry 8.3.2 Nationalization of smelter 8.3.3 Coca 8.3.3.1 Licit and illicit uses 8.3.3.2 Plan Dignidad 8.3.3.3 Opposition to eradication, rise of Morales 8.3.3.4 Morales coalition prevails 8.3.3.5 Processing plant 9 Foreign policy 9.1 World tour 9.1.1 Timeline of Morales World tour 10 Inauguration 11 Style 12 Constitutional Assembly 13 Controversy 13.1 Ethnicity 13.2 Conflict with Reyes Villa 13.3 Ponchos Rojos 13.4 Advisor faces terrorism charges in Peru 13.5 Miners protest 13.6 Movements for regional autonomy 14 References 15 See also 16 External links

Background

Morales was born in the highlands of Orinoca Oruro, and is of indigenous (Aymara) descent. For indigenous peoples in the United States other than Hawaii and Alaska see also Native Americans in the United States. The Aymara are a native Ethnic group in the Andes and Altiplano regions of South America; about 1 He was one of seven children born to Dionisio Morales Choque and Maria Mamani; only Morales and two of his siblings survived past childhood. ^[7] He grew up in an adobe house with a straw roof that was "no more than three by four meters. "^[7] At age six, he traveled with his father to Argentina to work in the sugar cane harvest. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Argentina topics. ^[7] Like many Bolivians,^[8][9][10] his parents, while Catholic, worshipped the native earth goddess Pachamama, often with offerings of coca leaves and alcohol. Pachamama is a goddess revered by the indigenous people of the Andes. ^[7] At the age of 12, he accompanied his father in herding llamas from Oruro to the province of Independencia in Cochabamba. The llama ( Lama glama) is a South American Camelid, widely used as a Pack animal by the Incas and other natives of the Andes Cochabamba is one of the nine component departments of Bolivia. ^[7]

When he was 14, Morales showed his organizational skills by forming a football team with other youths; he continued herding llamas to pay the bills. ^[11] At the age of 16, the three ayllus (network of families) within the community elected him technical director of selection for the canton's team. Ayllu is a word in both the Quechua and Aymara languages referring to a network of families in a given area ^[11] That same year, in order to attend high school, he moved to Oruro. There he worked as a bricklayer, a baker, and a trumpet player for the Royal Imperial Band (which allowed him to travel across Bolivia). ^[11][1][12] He graduated from Beltrán Ávila High School,^[13] and fulfilled his mandatory military service in La Paz. Military service in its simplest sense is service by an individual or group in an Army or other military organization whether as a chosen job or as a result of an involuntary Nuestra Señora de La Paz is the administrative Capital of Bolivia, as well as the departmental capital of La Paz Department. ^[11][14]

Farming in the lowlands

In 1980, while Morales was in his 20s, the effects of El Niño caused a 70% decline in agriculture and killed 50% of the animals in his home region. El Niño-Southern Oscillation ( ENSO; commonly referred to as simply El Niño) is a global coupled ocean-atmosphere phenomenon Evo joined the Morales family when they left Orinoca to participate in the colonization of the tropics of Cochabamba, located in the eastern Bolivian lowlands. Cochabamba is a city in central Bolivia, located in a Valley bearing the same name in the Andes Mountain range. ^[11][12] Working on his family's land, he grew crops of oranges, grapefruit, papaya, bananas and coca. An orange —specifically the sweet orange —is the Citrus fruit Citrus sinensis ( syn The grapefruit is a subtropical Citrus Tree grown for its Fruit which was originally named the "forbidden fruit " of Barbados The papaya (from Carib via Spanish) is the Fruit of the Plant Carica papaya, in the genus Carica. For the fruit see Banana. For other meanings see Banana (disambiguation. Not to be confused with Cocoa. Coca is a Plant in the family Erythroxylaceae, native to north-western South America ^[15] Morales soon joined a union of coca growers. Morales claims on his website that by 1981, he became motivated to defend his fellow coca farmers after learning that one of them had been beaten, covered in gasoline, and burned alive by drunken soldiers of the government of Luis García Meza Tejada. Luis García Meza Tejada (b August 8, 1932, La Paz, Bolivia) is a former Bolivian dictator ^[15] In 1981, he was made the head of his local football organization; after his father's death in 1983, he was forced to give up that position in order to concentrate on managing his family's farm. ^[15]

Union activity

By 1985, Morales was elected general secretary in his union of coca farmers and by 1988 was elected executive secretary of the Tropics Federation. ^[15] He retains this position to this day, even while serving as president of Bolivia. Around this time the Bolivian government, encouraged by the USA, began a program to eradicate most coca production (see below). By 1996 Morales was made president of the Coordinating Committee of the Six Federations of the Tropics of Cochabamba. ^[15] Evo was among those opposing the government's position on coca and lobbied for a different policy. This opposition often resulted in him being jailed and in an incident in 1989, beaten near to death by UMOPAR forces (who, assuming he had been slain, dumped his unconscious body in the bushes where it was discovered by his supporters). ^[15]

Morales soon led a 600 km march from Cochabamba to the capital of La Paz. While they were often attacked by law enforcement, they managed to proceed by sneaking around their control posts. ^[15] They were often greeted by supporters who gave the marchers drink, food, clothes and shoes. They were greeted with cheers by supporters in La Paz and the government was forced to negotiate an accord with them. ^[15] After the marchers returned home, the government reneged on the deal and sent forces to harass them. ^[15] Morales claims that during this time in 1997 a United States Drug Enforcement Agency helicopter strafed farmers with automatic rifle fire, killing five of his supporters. The Drug Enforcement Administration ( DEA) is a United States Department of Justice Law enforcement agency tasked with combating drug smuggling and ^[15] He also claims he was grazed by assassins' bullets in Villa Tunari in 2000. ^[15] He was recognized in 1996 by an international coalition against the “War on Drugs”. ^[15] Morales then found an audience in Europe for his positions and traveled there to gain support and to educate people on the differences between coca leaves and cocaine. ^[15] In a speech on this issue, he told reporters “I am not a drug trafficker. I am a coca grower. I cultivate coca leaf, which is a natural product. I do not refine (it into) cocaine, and neither cocaine nor drugs have ever been part of the Andean culture. ”^[1]

1995 election, formation of MAS

On March 27, 1995, Morales was among a united organization of farmers, colonizers and indigenous people who founded the Assembly for the Sovereignty of the Common People (ASP) and the Political Tool for the Sovereignty of the Common People (IPSP). Events 196 BC - Ptolemy V ascends to the throne of Egypt. 1309 - Pope Clement V excommunicates Year 1995 ( MCMXCV) was a Common year starting on Sunday. Events of 1995 ^[16] Morales and others decided to run for political office in Bolivia under this party. Since the National Electoral Court did not recognize the new organization they were forced to run under the banner of the United Left (IU), “a coalition of leftist parties that was headed by the Communist Party of Bolivia (PCB). ”^[16] On June 1, 1997, Morales (who carried 70% of the votes) was one of four IU candidates that won a seat in Parliament. Events 193 - Roman Emperor Didius Julianus is Assassinated 987 - Hugh Capet is elected Year 1997 ( MCMXCVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1997 Gregorian calendar The area he represented included the provinces of Chapare and Carrasco and Morales received the most votes of any candidate in Bolivia. ^[16] Facing continual legal problems because the Bolivian Supreme Court continued to refuse to recognize IPSP,^[14] for the local elections of December 5, 1999, Morales came to an agreement with the leader of MAS-U, David Añez Pedraza, to assume the acronym, name and colors of that inactive organization. Events 63 BC - Cicero reads the last of his Catiline Orations. Year 1999 ( MCMXCIX) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1999 Gregorian calendar) So the IPSP became the Movimiento al Socialismo or Movement Towards Socialism (MAS). The Movement for Socialism ( Movimiento al Socialismo, MAS alternately referred to as "Movement Toward Socialism" or "Movement to Socialism" is a ^[16] The MAS is described as "an indigenous-based political party that calls for the nationalization of industry, legalization of the coca leaf … and fairer distribution of national resources. "^[17]

Expulsion from Parliament

While Morales was a Member of Parliament, the governments of Hugo Banzer and Jorge Quiroga broadened the eradication campaign through Plan Dignidad (see below). Hugo Banzer Suárez ( May 10, 1926 &ndash May 5, 2002) was a politician military general and President of Bolivia. Jorge Fernando "Tuto" Quiroga Ramírez (born May 5, 1960) was President of Bolivia from August 7, 2001 to The coca producing region of Chapare which Morales represented was beset with hundreds of police and military officers who were seen by Morales as “committing an innumerable amount of abuses and assassinations which violated the most basic human rights and liberties. ”^[16] Morales denounced the militarization and said that the government was committing a massacre in the Chapare, he declared that the peasants had a right to resist militarily against the troops who were said to be shooting at protesters. ^[16] Then three police officers were slain when they attempted to close a coca market. ^[14] In light of Morales' comments about armed resistance on January 24, 2002 a 104-member majority of the Parliament voted him expelled from the Legislature. Events 41 - Gaius Caesar (Caligula, known for his eccentricity and cruel Despotism, is Assassinated by his disgruntled See also 2002 (disambiguation Year 2002 ( MMII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. The Parliamentary Ethics Commission declared that Morales had committed “serious inadequacies in the execution of his duties. ”^[16] With his popularity rising for standing up to an unpopular government, on March 5, 2002, he submitted an objection to the Constitutional Tribune saying his rights had been violated. Events 363 - Roman Emperor Julian moves from Antioch with an army of 90000 to attack the Sassanid Empire, in a See also 2002 (disambiguation Year 2002 ( MMII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. He said his right to defend himself, to the presumption of innocence, and to parliamentary immunity had all been unjustly ignored. ^[16]

In an interview in November 2002 with The Ecologist, Morales spoke about the expulsion saying “I was the congressman with the highest proportion of votes for his area and ‘obeying an order from the US’ they voted to expel me from congress. The Ecologist is a monthly British Magazine that broadly focuses on promoting an ecological agenda in its news stories opinion and debate It is only recently that the constitutional court finally declared the whole farce illegal, and now they are having to pay compensation for what they did. ”^[14]

The 2002 elections

The same day he petitioned the Constitutional Tribune, Morales resigned from the Confederation of Coca Producers of Cochabamba and was endorsed by the Six Federations of the Tropics as the MAS 2002 presidential candidate. A trade union or labour union is an organization of workers who have banded together to achieve common goals in key areas such as wages hours and working conditions forming Joseph (José Bové (born June 11, 1953) is a French farmer and syndicalist, member of the alter-globalization movement, and spokesman ^[16] The supportive crowd cheered him on saying “Kausachum coca!” (Long live coca!) and “Huaiñuchum yanquis!” (Down with Yankees!), they also “hoisted the wipala, the multi-colored checkered flag that is the emblem of the Andean cultures, along with the standard tri-colored Bolivian flag. The Wiphala is a square emblem commonly used as a Flag, representing the native peoples of the central Andes and Bolivian Amazon region The current flag of Bolivia was originally adopted by Bolivia in 1851. ”^[16]

In the 2002 presidential election, Morales came in second place, a surprising upset for Bolivia's traditional parties. This made the indigenous activist an instant celebrity throughout the continent. The term Indigenous Peoples or autochthonous peoples can be used to describe any Ethnic group who inhabit a geographic region with which they have the earliest historical Morales credited his near victory in part to comments made by then U. S. Ambassador to Bolivia Manuel Rocha, who warned, "As a representative of the United States, I want to remind the Bolivian electorate that if you elect those who want Bolivia to become a major cocaine exporter again, this will endanger the future of U. An ambassador is the highest ranking Diplomat who represents their country Manuel Rocha is a United States diplomat and former Ambassador to Bolivia. S. assistance to Bolivia. "^[18] Morales said that these remarks helped to "awaken the conscience of the people. "

The 2005 elections

Main article: Bolivian presidential election, 2005

As a result of growing discontent and popular unrest, and the resignation of President Carlos Mesa Gisbert under pressure by MAS and their supporters, led by Morales, by means of road blocks and riots^{[19] [20]}, Congress and President Eduardo Rodríguez Veltzé decided to move up the 2007 elections to December 2005. The 2005 Bolivian presidential election was held on December 18, 2005. Carlos Diego Mesa Gisbert (born August 12, 1953) is a Bolivian politician historian and President of Bolivia from October 17 Eduardo Rodríguez Veltzé (born March 2, 1956) is a former president of Bolivia; prior to that appointment he was the chief justice of the
At a gathering of farmers celebrating the 10th anniversary of the founding of MAS in March 2005, Morales declared, "MAS is ready to rule Bolivia", having "consolidated its position as the [prime] political force in the country". He also said, "the problem is not winning the elections anymore but knowing how to rule the country. "^[21]

Preliminary polls placed Morales and the Movement Toward Socialism in an uncomfortable three-way tie with center and right wing forces and urban majority leaders Jorge Quiroga, from the party Social and Democratic Power (PODEMOS), and Samuel Doria Medina, with only a few points' difference. Jorge Fernando "Tuto" Quiroga Ramírez (born May 5, 1960) was President of Bolivia from August 7, 2001 to Podemos is the name of a right-of-center pro-business Bolivian political party Samuel Jorge Doria Medina Auza is a politician in Bolivia. He is the leader of the National Unity Front and represented the party alongside Carlos Fernando Dabdoub By August 21, Morales had chosen his running mate for the presidential elections, left-wing ideologist, sociologist, mathematician, and political analyst Álvaro García Linera, who fought alongside of Felipe Quispe as part of the Tupac Katari Guerrilla Army (EGTK). Events 1192 - Minamoto Yoritomo becomes Seii Tai Shōgun and the De facto ruler of Japan. Sociology (from Latin: socius "companion" and the suffix -ology "the study of" from Greek λόγος lógos "knowledge" Mathematics is the body of Knowledge and Academic discipline that studies such concepts as Quantity, Structure, Space and This is a list of notable political scientists See the List of political theorists for those who study politics without using the Scientific method. Álvaro Marcelo García Linera (born October 19, 1962) is a Bolivian politician. Felipe Quispe Huanca "El Mallku " ( Aymara language: " Prince " is a Bolivian political leader The Tupac Katari Guerrilla Army (Ejército Guerrillero Túpac Katari is an indigenous guerrilla movement in Bolivia.

By December 4, Morales had moved ahead in the polls to around 32% of the vote. "December 4th" redirects here For the song by Jay-Z, see December 4th (song. Quiroga hovered around 27% with Samuel Doria Medina coming in at less than 15%. All of the parties promised national solidarity, nationalization (in some form) of the hydrocarbons, and wealth for the people.

On December 14, the Wall Street Journal reported, "Most polls give the 46-year-old Mr. Events 1287 - St Lucia's flood: The Zuider Zee sea wall in the Netherlands collapses killing over 50000 people Morales a lead of about 34% to 29% over his nearest rival, conservative former President Jorge Quiroga. " Over 100,000 election judges were sworn in as the country prepared for the elections on December 18. Events 218 BC - Second Punic War: Battle of the Trebia - Hannibal 's Carthaginian forces defeat those of the

Exit polls were published almost as soon as voting closed, with Morales expected to win 42–45% of the vote and Quiroga 33–37%. Quiroga conceded defeat within a few hours.

By December 22, the official count was at 53. Events 1790 - The Turkish fortress of Izmail is stormed and captured by Suvorov and his Russian armies 899% of the vote, with 98. 697% of the ballots tallied, and no congressional vote was necessary to determine the winner.

Domestic Policy

Politics

Morales has articulated the driving force behind MAS in the following terms:

“

The worst enemy of humanity is U. S. capitalism. That is what provokes uprisings like our own, a rebellion against a system, against a neoliberal model, which is the representation of a savage capitalism. If the entire world doesn't acknowledge this reality, that nation states are not providing even minimally for health, education and nourishment, then each day the most fundamental human rights are being violated.

”

He has also stated:

“

… the ideological principles of the organization, anti-imperialist and contrary to neoliberalism, are clear and firm but its members have yet to turn them into a programmatic reality. [21]

”

Morales has argued for the establishment of a constituent assembly to transform the country. He also proposes the creation of a new hydrocarbon law to guarantee at least 50% of revenue to Bolivia, although MAS has also shown interest in complete nationalization of the gas and oil industries. Morales has taken a middle ground: supporting the nationalization of natural gas companies, but supporting foreign cooperation in the industry.

Morales has referred to the U. S. -driven Free Trade Area of the Americas as "an agreement to legalize the colonization of the Americas" and has supported the stated desire of Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez to form an "Axis of Good" between Bolivia, Cuba, and Venezuela, in contrast to the "Axis of Evil" comprising the United States and its allies. The Free Trade Area of the Americas ( FTAA) ( Spanish: Área de Libre Comercio de las Américas (ALCA French: Zone de libre-échange des Venezuela (ˌvɛnəˈzweɪlə) officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (Spanish República Bolivariana de Venezuela) is a country on the Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías (ˈuɰo rafaˈel ˈtʃaβ̞es ˈfɾias (born July 28 1954 is the current President of Venezuela. Definition President Bush's exact statement was as follows second goal is to prevent regimes (terrorist that sponsor terror from threatening America or our friends and Definition President Bush's exact statement was as follows second goal is to prevent regimes (terrorist that sponsor terror from threatening America or our friends and ^[22]

In March 2006, President Evo Morales announced in Santa Cruz an increase in the minimum wage of 50%. Santa Cruz de La Sierra, commonly known as Santa Cruz, is the capital city of the Santa Cruz department in eastern Bolivia. A minimum wage is the lowest hourly daily or monthly Wage that employers may legally pay to employees or workers As it is currently set at 440 bolivianos(45 euros)per month, it would then increase to 660 bolivianos (67 euros) per month. The boliviano ( ISO 4217 code BOB) is the Currency of Bolivia. Morales had earlier stated that it should be increased by 100%. ^[23] However, 6 out of 10 workers are part of the informal economy, thus limiting the impact of this increase. In Economics, the term informal economy (or second economy in the South African context refers to all economic activities that fall outside the formal ^[24]

Fulfilling a campaign promise, Morales opened on August 6, 2006 an assembly to begin writing a new constitution aimed at giving more power to the indigenous majority. Events 1538 - Bogotá, Colombia, is founded by Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ^[25]

Education reform

Indigenous languages in schools

Morales supports a movement to teach indigenous languages such as Aymara, Quechua, and Guaraní which are spoken mainly in the rural areas of Bolivia. The Aymara are a native Ethnic group in the Andes and Altiplano regions of South America; about 1 Quechua ( Runa Simi) is a Native American language of South America. Guaraní are a group of culturally related indigenous peoples of South America, distinguished from the related Tupi by their use of the Guaraní language His government estimates that only 37% of the population speaks a native language that predates the introduction of Spanish in the 16th century. Morales's Education Ministry has declared the drive to increase this percentage as part of a broad effort "to decolonize the mindset and the Bolivian state. "^[26] The program is seen as "emblematic of his government's indigenous-based social agenda". ^[26] In 2006 Morales's Minister of Education and Culture, Felix Patzi, announced that he would be requiring all government employees to take indigenous language training. The Morales government's proposal to require state schools to teach the languages has angered many urban Bolivians who see it as a move to replace Spanish. This is denied by the Morales government who point out that over half of Bolivians claim indigenous heritage and that it should not be shameful to speak an indigenous language outside of the home or local community. Patzi brought further controversy to the movement by calling Bolivians who can't speak an indigenous language "an embarrassment" and by issuing a letter stating that no school would be recognized unless they guaranteed indigenous language instruction in the 2007 academic year. ^[26]

Reform of religious classes in state schools

In June 2005, Minister Felix Patzi brought organizational opposition against the Morales governments' ideas when he declared that "Catholicism would no longer be ‘the official’ religion taught at schools. "^[27] After mass protests led by the Catholic hierarchy this proposal was shelved by Morales.

For more details on this topic, see Evo Morales and the Roman Catholic Church. The socialist administration of Bolivian President Evo Morales has not always had a good relationship with the Bolivian hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church

Aftermath

Morales, initially supportive of Patzi and his policies, faced with the opposition of the Catholic hierarchy dropped the proposal to change the religion classes in state schools. Morales also relaxed the language requirement, no longer requiring it to be obligatory in 2007. ^[26] In late January 2007, Morales replaced several members of his cabinet, including Patzi whose suggestions had "got Morales in hot water with the Roman Catholic Church". ^[28] The Bolivian media reported that this cabinet shuffle “reduced the number of ministers of indigenous descent, and incorporated more middle-class politicians from the radical left to his cabinet. ”^[29]

Economy

Nationalization of natural gas industry

Further information: Bolivian Gas Conflict

In 2005, following popular protests and president Gonzalo Sánchez "Goni" de Lozada's resignation, Congress passed an energy law that added a 32% tax on production to an already-existing 18% royalty. The Bolivian gas conflict was a social confrontation in Bolivia centering on the exploitation of the country's vast Natural gas reserves Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozada Sánchez Bustamante (born July 1, 1930, La Paz) familiarly known as "Goni" is a Bolivian politician It also required that companies renegotiate their contracts with the state.

As of May 1, 2006, President Morales signed a decree stating that all natural gas reserves were to be nationalized: "the state recovers ownership, possession and total and absolute control" of hydrocarbons (Bolivia has the second largest resources of natural gas in South America — 1. Events 305 - Diocletian and Maximian retire from the office of Roman Emperor. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Natural gas is a Gaseous Fossil fuel consisting primarily of Methane but including significant quantities of Ethane, Propane, Nationalization, also spelled nationalisation, is the act of taking an industry or assets into the Public ownership of a national government 38 trillion cubic meters — after Venezuela). He thus put to some effect his electoral promises made during the various Gas Wars, declaring that "We are not a government of mere promises: We follow through on what we propose and what the people demand. The Bolivian gas conflict was a social confrontation in Bolivia centering on the exploitation of the country's vast Natural gas reserves "

The announcement was timed to coincide with Worker's Day on May 1. International Workers' Day (a name used interchangeably with May Day) is a celebration of the social and economic achievements of the international Labour Events 305 - Diocletian and Maximian retire from the office of Roman Emperor. Ordering the military and engineers of YPFB, the state firm, to occupy and secure energy installations, he gave foreign companies a six-month "transition period" to re-negotiate contracts, or face expulsion. Military branches of Bolivia: Army The Bolivian Army has around 31500 men Yacimientos Petrolíferos Fiscales Bolivianos ( YPFB) is the state-owned petrol company of Bolivia. Nevertheless, Morales stated that the nationalization would not take the form of expropriations or confiscations. Expropriation refers to Confiscation of Private property with the stated purpose of establishing social equality. Confiscation, from the Latin confiscatio 'joining to the fiscus i Vice President Álvaro García said in La Paz's main plaza that the government's energy-related revenue will jump to $780 million next year, expanding nearly sixfold from 2002. Álvaro García may refer to Álvaro García Linera, Bolivian politician Álvaro García (Uruguayan politician Nuestra Señora de La Paz is the administrative Capital of Bolivia, as well as the departmental capital of La Paz Department. ^[30]

Among the 53 installations affected by the measure are those of Brazil's Petrobras, one of the largest foreign investors in Bolivia, which controls 14% of the country's gas reserves. |utc_offset = -2 to -4 |time_zone_DST = BRST |utc_offset_DST = -2 to -5 |cctld Petrobras ( Bovespa: PETR3 / PETR4 ( NYSE: PBR / PBRA( Latibex: XPBR / XPBRA short for Petróleo Brasileiro S ^[31] Brazil's Energy Minister, Silas Rondeau, reacted by condemning the move as "unfriendly" and contrary to previous understandings between his country and Bolivia. Silas Rondeau is a Brazilian politician and a member of Brazilian Democratic Movement Party (PMDB ^[32]

US Exxon Mobil Corporation, Petrobras, Spain's Repsol YPF, UK gas and oil producer BG Group Plc, and France's Total are the main gas companies present in the country. The Exxon Mobil Corporation, or ExxonMobil, is an American oil and gas Corporation and a direct descendant of John D Repsol YPF SA, ( is an integrated Spanish oil and gas company with operations in 29 countries BG Group Plc ( is an integrated oil and gas company which has its headquarters in Reading, England. According to Reuters, "Bolivia's actions echo what Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez, possibly Morales' biggest ally, did in the world's fifth-largest oil exporter with forced contract migrations and retroactive tax hikes — conditions that major oil companies largely agreed to accept. This article is primarily about Reuters prior to its 2008 merger with Thomson Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías (ˈuɰo rafaˈel ˈtʃaβ̞es ˈfɾias (born July 28 1954 is the current President of Venezuela. " YPFB will pay foreign companies for their services, offering about 50% of the value of production, although the decree indicated that companies exploiting the country's two largest gas fields would get just 18%.

Nationalization of smelter

On February 8, 2007, Morales announced that a metal processing plant outside of the city of Oruro owned by the Swiss mining company Glencore International AG would be nationalized. Events 421 - Constantius III becomes co- Emperor of the Western Roman Empire. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Glencore International AG (management buy out of Marc Rich & Co AG) is one of the world's largest suppliers of commodities and raw materials and is also among The plant processes tin, lead, and silver. Morales said that there had been “a lack of transparency in its financial dealings” and that corporations that abide by Bolivian law had nothing to fear. He said “Companies that respect Bolivian laws, that do not steal money from the Bolivian people, will be respected. But if the companies do not respect the laws, I have no other alternative than to recover those companies. " Vinto was privatized by the Banzer government in 2000, when it was sold to London-based Allied Deals. However, Allied Deals promptly went bankrupt and was unable to meet its commitments, forcing the government to liquidate the asset. The liquidating entity Grant Thornton sold Vinto to Compañía Minera Colquiri, owned by Compañía Minera del Sur (51%) and Great Britain's Commonwealth Development Corporation (49%), in June 2002. Glencore purchased the plant from Comsur-CDC in 2004. ^[33]

Coca

Further information: Coca eradication

Licit and illicit uses

Coca is the raw material for cocaine but is prized by many Bolivians (especially among those of Amero-Indian descent) for its traditional uses in medicines and herbal teas. Coca eradication is a controversial strategy strongly promoted by the United States government as part of its " War on Drugs " to eliminate the Not to be confused with Cocoa. Coca is a Plant in the family Erythroxylaceae, native to north-western South America Cocaine ( benzoylmethyl ecgonine) is a Crystalline Tropane Alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the Coca plant Long before coca was used to make cocaine, the indigenous people of the Andean region, the Aymara and Quechua, chewed coca leaves as a dietary supplement, a means to ease pangs of hunger and thirst and an antidote for altitude sickness. The Aymara are a native Ethnic group in the Andes and Altiplano regions of South America; about 1 Quechua ( Runa Simi) is a Native American language of South America. ^[34] Many Amero-Indians continue to view the plant as sacred. In modern Bolivia, coca leaves may be legally consumed and are most often prepared in teas like mate de coca. Coca tea, also called mate de coca, is a Tisane (herbal tea made using the leaves of the coca plant. The legal sale and consumption of coca leaves are part of daily life for some groups of Bolivian peasants, especially those in mining and other fields of heavy labor. Noted celebrities who have consumed coca tea include the late Pope John Paul II and Princess Anne. Pope While a limited market exists for coca leaves, since the early 1990s the U.S. has put pressure on the Bolivian government to reduce the amount of coca leaves produced for refinement by the international drug trade. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the

Plan Dignidad

In 1995 at the height of coca production, one out of every eight Bolivians made a living from coca. ^[34] The country was the world’s third largest grower of coca after Peru and Colombia. ^[34] In 1997, 458 square kilometres of land were being used to produce coca leaves, with only 120 km² of that being grown for the licit market. ^[35] In August 1997, with strong support of the US government, Bolivian President Hugo Banzer developed "Plan Dignidad" ("The Dignity Plan") to counter the "scourge" of drugs. Hugo Banzer Suárez ( May 10, 1926 &ndash May 5, 2002) was a politician military general and President of Bolivia. The plan focused on eradication, interdiction (through lab destruction), efforts to counter money laundering, and implementation of social programs that countered and prevented drug addiction. The plan’s heavy emphasis on plant eradication and noticeable lack of focus on trafficking organizations was noted by its critics at the time. The US Embassy in Bolivia defended the aggressive focus on crops, maintaining that Bolivia was devoid of significant trafficking organizations and claiming that the bulk of illegally exported coca went through small ‘mom-and-pop’ operations. This claim continues to be rejected by scholars of Bolivian society who say “Bolivia is very vulnerable to the influence of international trafficking organizations and that it is very likely that the participation of Bolivian entrepreneurs in the illegal business has increased. ” During the initial years of the operation area of coca production dropped. While in 1997 it had been 458 km², by 1998 it was down to 380 km²; in 1999 it fell to 218 km², and in 2000 it reached its lowest point at 146 km². ^[35] Since the 1990s, the US has been funding the Bolivian government's eradication program by an average of $150 million a year. ^[36]

Opposition to eradication, rise of Morales

Critics of the aggressive focus on farmers and the program's lack of effort against traffickers argued against the claims that Bolivia’s traffickers were only “mom-and-pop organizations”. They pointed out the increase in prices offered to Peruvian coca farmers during 1998 as proof that international trafficking organizations were going to Peru to make up for the Bolivian shortfall caused by the program. They also pointed to the 1999 indictment for drug trafficking of Marino Diodato who was married to the niece of President Banzer, and was an Italian believed to have Mafia and Camorra ties. The Mafia (also known as Cosa Nostra) is a Sicilian Criminal Secret society which is believed to have first developed in the mid-19th century Background The origins of the Camorra are not entirely clear Some assert a history going back as far as the 16th century claiming that it is a direct descendant of a Spanish secret By 2001 coca planting in Bolivia moved outside of the traditional growing areas of Chapare and Yungas and the area in production began to climb ever since. ^[35]

Along with an increase in world wide coca production, the program contributed to a decline in the real standard of living of Chapare peasants leading to protests and violent social unrest (where both demonstrators and police were slain). The Bolivian government's use of the military in coca-growing regions during the unrest brought criticism from NGOs such as Human Rights Watch. Human Rights Watch is a United States -based international Non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on Human rights. ^[37] Promises of alternative development for farmers stagnated because of worsening external economic conditions. These conditions caused social mobilization among coca farmers like Evo Morales who called for an end to forced eradication and other measures enacted with the intent of countering narcotics. From 2000 forward, the Bolivian government made several agreements with coca grower federations to end confrontations, but they failed to follow through on their promises causing further opposition to these governments. Morales rose to national attention by leading the political opposition to eradication and this position is a central reason for his election to the Bolivian Congress. His association with anti-eradication forces caused his expulsion from Congress in 2002 which led to his Presidential campaign with its surprising showing that same year. ^[35]

Morales coalition prevails

Pressures from the Morales led coalition caused president Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozada to stop forced eradication. Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozada Sánchez Bustamante (born July 1, 1930, La Paz) familiarly known as "Goni" is a Bolivian politician To address some of his opponents concerns in 2003 he initially proposed allowing families to cultivate small plots of coca but in the face of strong pressure from the US Embassy he withdrew the idea. ^[35] Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozada resigned the presidency due to the Bolivian Gas War. Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozada Sánchez Bustamante (born July 1, 1930, La Paz) familiarly known as "Goni" is a Bolivian politician The Bolivian gas conflict was a social confrontation in Bolivia centering on the exploitation of the country's vast Natural gas reserves When his successor Carlos Mesa was unable to stem the increasing conflict over distribution of wealth from fossil fuel production he also resigned. Carlos Diego Mesa Gisbert (born August 12, 1953) is a Bolivian politician historian and President of Bolivia from October 17 Morales's support from coca farmers was seen as a large reason for his victory to the open presidential office in the 2005 election. ^[38]

On his way to vote during the 2005 election Morales carried a coca plant. After it was declared that he was the front runner in the election he called for a referendum on how the plant should be controlled. Countering US fears that he would ignore cultivation expressly done for narcotic purposes Morales said, "There won't be the free cultivation of the coca leaf. ” He also called on America to enter into an agreement to truly fight drug trafficking. He repeated his position calling for “zero cocaine and zero drug trafficking, but not zero coca or zero cocaleros [coca growers]. " He announced his government would study whether the amount of coca allowed for legal traditional consumption should be increased. At the time coca growing was legal on 29,000 acres (120 km²) of the Yungas valley with lesser area in the Chapare region. The acre is a unit of Area in a number of different systems including the imperial and U ^[12]

In early 2006, soon after taking office, Morales traveled to the tropical region of Chapare and met with a crowd of 20,000 consisting mainly cocaleros. A garland of coca leaves was placed around his neck and more leaves placed upon a straw hat he donned to shield him from the sun. He told the crowd, “The fight for coca symbolizes our fight for freedom. Coca growers will continue to grow coca. There will never be zero coca. ”^[36]

There is much disagreement between Morales's administration and the United States regarding anti-drug laws and cooperation between the countries, but officials from both countries have expressed a desire to work against drug trafficking, with Sean McCormack from the U. The illegal drug trade or drug trafficking is a global Black market consisting of the cultivation manufacture distribution and sale of illegal Drugs S. State Department reinforcing the support of Bolivian anti-drug policy, and Morales calling for zero cocaine and zero drug trafficking. ^[39]

Processing plant

In February 2007, Venezuela loaned Bolivia $250,000 to build two coca processing plants in Chapare and Las Yungas to turn coca into tea and trimate (a mixture of aniseed, chamomile and coca). The plants are set to be up and running in September or October 2007 and the products will likely be sold in Venezuela. ^[40]

Foreign policy

World tour

From December 29, 2005, Evo Morales undertook an international tour described by Latin American media as exceptional. Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (pronounced /lu'iz i'nasju 'lulɐ da 'siwvɐ/; born October 27, 1945) known simply as Lula, is the thirty-fifth and Joseph (José Bové (born June 11, 1953) is a French farmer and syndicalist, member of the alter-globalization movement, and spokesman Alter-globalisation (or Alter-mondialization from the French altermondialisme) is the name of a Social movement whose political line is close to Anti-globalization Events 1170 - Thomas Becket: Thomas Becket Archbishop of Canterbury is assassinated inside Canterbury Cathedral by followers of King Henry II Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. ^[41] For two weeks, Morales visited several countries in search of political and economic support for his agenda for the transformation of Bolivia. This tour is said to have constituted a break with decades of tradition in which the first international destination visited by a president-elect in Bolivia was the United States. His itinerary also reinforced the view that his election was part of a strengthening of "anti-imperialist" governments and movements in Latin America. ^[42]

In September 2006, he spoke at the United Nations General Assembly, holding a coca leaf, saying ‘I should like to take this opportunity to speak of another historical injustice: the criminalization of the coca leaf. Membership For two articles dealing with membership in the General Assembly see General Assembly members This coca leaf is green, not white, like cocaine. The coca leaf is symbolic of Andean culture, of the Andean environment and of the hopes of peoples. It is not acceptable that the coca leaf be legal for Coca-Cola and illegal for medicinal consumption not only in our country but throughout the world.

‘The United Nations should be aware that scientific studies have been carried out in American and European universities that have shown that the coca leaf has no negative effects on human health. I am very sorry that because some have a drug habit, the coca leaf has become illegal. We are aware of that. That is why, as coca leaf producers, we have stated that there will not be unfettered coca leaf production, but neither will there be zero production. Conditionality-based policies implemented in the past focused on zero coca-leaf production. But zero coca-leaf production is equivalent to zero Quechuas, zero Aymarás, zero Mojeños, zero Chiquitanos. All of that ended with another Government. We are an underdeveloped country with economic problems resulting from the pillage of our natural resources. We are here today to begin to regain our dignity and the dignity of our country.

‘In that context, I wish to say that the best contribution to combating drug trafficking has been through an agreed, voluntary reduction, with no deaths or injuries. I was pleased to hear that the United Nations report recognizes the honest and responsible effort that has been made to combat drug trafficking. Drug seizures have increased 300 per cent. However, yesterday I heard the United States Government state that it would not accept coca cultivation and that it was imposing conditions on us so that we would change our system. ’^[43]

In September, 2007, Morales appeared on "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart". The Daily Show (known in its current incarnation as The Daily Show There he discussed various political issues. Morales was only the second sitting head of state to appear on the show and the first to be interviewed on the show using a translator.

On April 28,2008, again he addressed the United Nations at the inauguration of the UN’s VII Indigenous Forum UNPFII - United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, with his proposed 10 Commandments to save the Planet, summarized as:

1. In order to save the planet, the capitalist model must be eradicated and the North pay its ecological debt, rather than the countries of the South and throughout the world continuing to pay their external debts.

2. Denounce and PUT AN END to war, which only brings profits for empires, transnationals, and a few families, but not for peoples. The million and millions of dollars destined to warfare should be invested in the Earth, which has been hurt as a result of misuse and overexploitation.

3. Develop relations of coexistence, rather than domination, among countries in a world without imperialism or colonialism. Bilateral and multilateral relations are important because we belong to a culture of dialogue and social coexistence, but those relationships should not be of submission of one country to another.

4. Water is a human right and a right for all living things on the planet. It is not possible that there be policies that permit the privatization of water.

5. Develop clean energies that are nature friendly; put an end to energy wastefulness. In 100 years we are doing away with the fossil fuels that have been created over millions of years. Avoid the promotion of agrofuels. It is incomprehensible that some governments and economic development models can set aside land in order to make luxury cars run, rather than using it to provide food for human beings. Promote debates with governments and create awareness that the earth must be used for the benefit of all human beings and not to produce agrofuels.

6. Respect for the mother Earth. Learn from the historic teachings of native and indigenous peoples with regard to the respect for the mother Earth. A collective social consciousness must be developed among all sectors of society, recognizing that the Earth is our mother.

7. Basic services, such as water, electricity, education, healthcare, communications, and collective transportation should all be considered human rights; they cannot be privatized but must rather be public services.

8. Consume what is necessary, give priority and consume what is produced locally, put an end to consumerism, waste, and luxury. It is incomprehensible that some families dedicate themselves to the search for luxury, when millions and millions of persons do not have the possibility to live well.

9. Promote cultural and economic diversity. We are very diverse and this is our nature. A plurinational state, in which everyone is included within that state - whites, browns, blacks, everyone.

10. We want everyone to be able to live well, which does not mean to live better at the expense of others. We must build a communitarian socialism that is in harmony with the Mother Earth.

Timeline of Morales World tour

• December 30, 2005: Evo Morales visits Cuba after celebrating his democratic victory in his base town of Orinoca. Events 1460 - Wars of the Roses: Battle of Wakefield. 1816 - The Treaty of St Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Republic of Cuba (ˈkjuːbə or) consists of the island of Cuba (the largest and second-most populous island of the Greater Antilles) Isla de la Orinoca is a small town in the Bolivian Oruro Department. Orinoca has 163 inhabitants (2001 und is the administrative center of Orinoca District In Havana Morales is extended the red carpet and receives full honors from Cuban president Fidel Castro. Havana ( IPA: aˈβana officially Ciudad de La Habana, is the Capital city, major port and leading red Carpet is traditionally used to welcome VIPs such as dignitaries and celebrities at formal events Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz (born August 13 1926 is a Cuban revolutionary leader who was prime minister of Cuba from December 1959 to December 1976 and then president until Morales signs a cooperation agreement between Bolivia and Cuba whereby Castro promises assistance to Bolivia in issues such as health and education. During his speech Morales describes Castro and Chávez as “the commanders of the forces for the liberation of the Americas and the world”.
• January 3, 2006: He meets Hugo Chávez in Caracas. Events 1431 - Joan of Arc is handed over to the Bishop Pierre Cauchon. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías (ˈuɰo rafaˈel ˈtʃaβ̞es ˈfɾias (born July 28 1954 is the current President of Venezuela. Caracas (kaˈɾakas is the Capital and largest city of Venezuela. Chávez offers Bolivia 150 000 barrels of diesel per month in order to substitute the current imports made from other countries. In exchange Bolivia will pay Venezuela with agriculture products from Bolivia. Venezuela (ˌvɛnəˈzweɪlə) officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (Spanish República Bolivariana de Venezuela) is a country on the ^[44]
• January 4, 2006: Spanish Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero receives Morales in the palace of La Moncloa. Events 46 BC - Titus Labienus defeats Julius Caesar in the Battle of Ruspina. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero (born 4 August 1960 better known by his maternal surname Zapatero (literally "shoemaker" in Spanish is the current Palacio de la Moncloa ( Moncloa Palace), situated in Madrid, has been the official residence for the President of the Government of Spain since Zapatero announces the writing-off of Bolivia’s debt with Spain, a sum of 120 million euros.
• January 5, 2006: Juan Carlos of Spain receives Morales in his palace at La Zarzuela. Events 1477 - Battle of Nancy: Charles the Bold is killed and Burgundy becomes part of France. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Early life Juan Carlos was born in Rome, where his grandfather Alfonso XIII of Spain lived in exile after the proclamation of the Second Spanish Republic Conservative Spanish media criticizes Morales for dressing informally, wearing a sweater made of alpaca wool with Amerindian motifs and colors during his encounter with the king. The Alpaca ( Vicugna pacos) is a domesticated species of South American Camelid. For indigenous peoples in the United States other than Hawaii and Alaska see also Native Americans in the United States. ^[45] At the same time José María Aznar announces that he will use his private fund-raising organization to fight against Castro, Morales and Chávez. (born 25 February 1953 served as the Prime Minister of Spain from 1996 to 2004 FAES is the Acronym for the Spanish Think tank association Fundacion para el Análisis y los Estudios Sociales, translated as Foundation for ^[46]
• January 6, 2006: Morales meets French President Jacques Chirac in Paris. Events 1066 - Harold Godwinson is crowned King of England. 1205 - Philip of Swabia becomes King Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Paris (ˈpærɨs in English; in French) is the Capital of France and the country's largest city Chirac promises economic and political support as long as French investments in Bolivia are protected. ^[47] The same day he meets Dutch Foreign Minister Ben Bot who promises aid of €15 million a year. The Netherlands ( Dutch:, ˈnedərlɑnt is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of the Netherlands the Netherlands Dr Bernard Rudolf (Ben Bot (born 21 November 1937) was a Dutch Minister of Foreign affairs between 2003 and 2007 The euro sign (€ is the Currency sign used for the Euro, the official currency of the European Union (EU
• January 7, 2006: Morales meets Javier Solana in Brussels, who also promises economic support for Bolivia in return for protection of European investments in Bolivia. Events 1325 - Alfonso IV becomes King of Portugal. 1558 - France takes Calais, the last continental Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Francisco Javier Solana de Madariaga, PhD (born 14 July 1942 in Madrid, Spain is the High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP Brussels (Bruxelles pronounced; Brussel pronounced) officially the Brussels Capital-Region, is ^[48]
• January 9, 2006: Morales meets Hu Jintao and the Chinese Minister of Commerce Bo Xilai. Events 475 - Byzantine Emperor Zeno is forced to flee his capital at Constantinople. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Hu Jintao ( born 21 December 1942 is currently the Paramount Leader of the People's Republic of China, holding the titles of General Secretary of the Communist Talk People's Republic of China) PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES This is a Chinese name; the family name is Bo. Bo Xilai (薄熙来 Pinyin: Bó XÄ«lái pronounced Morales invites entrepreneurs and the government of China to invest in projects of exploration and exploitation of gas, and to participate in the construction of gas refineries in Bolivia. ^[49]
• January 10, 2006: Morales is received in Pretoria by South African President Thabo Mbeki. Events 49 BC - Julius Caesar crosses the Rubicon, signaling the start of civil war. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Pretoria is a city located in the northern part of Gauteng Province, South Africa. The Republic of South Africa (also known by other official names) is a country located at the southern tip of the continent of Africa Thabo Mvuyelwa Mbeki (born 18 June 1942 is a South African politician who served as President of South Africa from 1999 to 24 September 2008 Morales compares the struggle of black Africans during Apartheid with the struggle of the Amerindians in the Americas. ^[50]
• January 11, 2006: Morales meets with Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who describes him as a man of 'remarkable humility and warmth', as well as former president F.W. de Klerk. Events 1055 - Theodora is crowned Empress of the Byzantine Empire. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Desmond Mpilo Tutu (born 7 October 1931) is a South African Cleric and activist who rose to Worldwide fame during the 1980s as an opponent Frederik Willem de Klerk (born 18 March 1936 was the last State President of apartheid-era South Africa, serving from September 1989 to May 1994 ^[51]
• January 13, 2006: Morales visits Brazil and meets with President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, describing him as "comrade and brother". Events 532 - Nika riots in Constantinople. 888 - Odo Count of Paris becomes King of the Franks Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. |utc_offset = -2 to -4 |time_zone_DST = BRST |utc_offset_DST = -2 to -5 |cctld Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (pronounced /lu'iz i'nasju 'lulɐ da 'siwvɐ/; born October 27, 1945) known simply as Lula, is the thirty-fifth and Morales and Lula agree to work together on a program of cooperation to end poverty. ^[52]

Inauguration

On January 21, 2006 Morales attended an indigenous spiritual ceremony at the pre-Colombian archaeological site and modern spiritual center of Tiwanaku where he was crowned as Apu Mallku or Supreme Leader of the Aymara, the indigenous group to which Morales belongs, and received gifts from many groups representing indigenous peoples from various parts of Latin America and the world. Events 1189 - Philip II of France and Richard I of England begin to assemble troops to wage the Third Crusade. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Tiwanaku (Spanish spellings Tiahuanaco and Tiahuanacu) is an important Pre-Columbian archaeological site in western Bolivia. Apu Mallku is an Aymara title meaning "supreme leader" or "king" conferred on a Mallku or "prince" Morales claims this is the first time since the days of Tupac Amaru that an indigenous person has held sovereign power in Bolivia. Túpac Amaru (Thupaq Amaru in modern Quechua) (d 1572 was the last indigenous leader of the Inca state in Peru. The ceremony was attended by the Slovenian president, Janez Drnovšek. Slovenia, officially the Republic of Slovenia (Republika Slovenija) is a Country in southern Central Europe bordering Italy to the west Janez Drnovšek (janɛz dr̩nɒuʃɛk ( May 17 1950 &ndash February 23 2008) was a Slovenian liberal ^[53]

On January 22 he officially received power in a ceremony in La Paz attended by multiple heads of state, including Argentine President Néstor Kirchner and Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez. Events 565 - Eutychius is deposed as Patriarch of Constantinople by John Scholasticus. Néstor Carlos Kirchner Ostoić (born February 25, 1950) was the President of Argentina from May 25, 2003 until December Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías (ˈuɰo rafaˈel ˈtʃaβ̞es ˈfɾias (born July 28 1954 is the current President of Venezuela. ^[54] Chilean President Ricardo Lagos, whose country has had a history of diplomatic conflict with Bolivia (see War of the Pacific) was also present and met with the dignitary in private. Ricardo Froilán Lagos Escobar (born March 2, 1938) is a lawyer economist and social democrat politician who served as president of The War of the Pacific, sometimes called the Saltpeter War in reference to its original cause was fought between Chile and the joint forces of Bolivia Morales described his presidency as marking a new era, and that the 500 years of colonialism were now at an end.

Style

His behavior contrasts with the usual manners of dignitaries in Latin America. Álvaro Marcelo García Linera (born October 19, 1962) is a Bolivian politician. For example, in January 28, 2006 he cut his salary by 57% to $1,875 a month. Events 1077 - Walk to Canossa: The Excommunication of Henry IV Holy Roman Emperor is lifted Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ^[55] He is single and, before the election, he shared a flat with other MAS officers. Consequently, his older sister Esther Morales Ayma fulfills the roles of First Lady. First Lady is a term used in the United States to describe the wife of an elected male Head of state. He does have two children, each from different women. ^[56]

He also aroused much interest in his choice of dress after being pictured often in his striped sweater with world leaders during his world tour. A sweater, pullover, jumper, or jersey is a relatively heavy Shirt intended to cover the torso and arms of the human body (though in some cases Some speculated that he would wear it to the official inauguration, where he actually dressed in a white shirt without tie (itself unheard of in Latin America in modern times for a head of state at their own inauguration) and a black jacket that was not a part of a conventional suit. The sweater (in Bolivian Spanish, a chompa, from the English word jumper) became his unofficial symbol and copies of it sold widely throughout Bolivia. A sweater, pullover, jumper, or jersey is a relatively heavy Shirt intended to cover the torso and arms of the human body (though in some cases ^[57] Some accounts described Morales's signature sweater as alpaca-wool; others reported that it was actually made of common acrylic, because native materials had become too expensive for most Bolivians and were sold mostly in the tourist trade. The Alpaca ( Vicugna pacos) is a domesticated species of South American Camelid. Acrylic fibers are Synthetic fibers made from a polymer ( Polyacrylonitrile) with an average molecular weight of ~100000 ^[58]

Evo Morales is a soccer enthusiast and plays the game frequently, often with local soccer teams. Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a Team sport played between two teams of eleven players and is widely considered ^[59] Morales is also a big admirer of Che Guevara and in 2006 held a memorial on the anniversary of Guevara's killing by the Bolivian army in 1967. Ernesto "Che" Guevara (June 14 Following the Cuban revolution,Guevara reviewed

Constitutional Assembly

For more details on this topic, see Bolivian Constituent Assembly. The Bolivian Constituent Assembly, convened on August 6, 2006 in Sucre, with the purpose of drafting a new national Constitution by December

One of Morales's electoral promises was to establish a Constitutional Assembly to re-write the Bolivian constitution. A constituent assembly is a body elected with the purpose of drafting and in some cases adopting a Constitution. This was also one of the central demands of the Bolivian social and indigenous movements who supported Morales's candidature for the presidency. ^[60] A Constitutional Assembly was established and elections for assembly members were held in July 2006. A constituent assembly is a body elected with the purpose of drafting and in some cases adopting a Constitution. ^[61] The Assembly then sat in Sucre, in the Teatro Gran Mariscal and was given 12 months to write a new Bolivian constitution. Sucre (population 247300 in 2006 is the constitutional Capital of Bolivia, seat of the Supreme Court ( Corte Suprema de Justicia The process of drafting the constitution was initially stalled by debates over voting procedures (whether a simple majority or two-third majority should be required to make decisions)^[62] and then by the introduction of an arcane debate about which should be Bolivia's capital city, Sucre or La Paz. Sucre (population 247300 in 2006 is the constitutional Capital of Bolivia, seat of the Supreme Court ( Corte Suprema de Justicia Nuestra Señora de La Paz is the administrative Capital of Bolivia, as well as the departmental capital of La Paz Department. ^[63] The draft Constitution was finally approved in December 2007, in a session which took place in Oruro. Although the opposition party, PODEMOS, absented itself from the session, the assembly was able to pass the draft constitution with the two-thirds majority required. Podemos is the name of a right-of-center pro-business Bolivian political party ^[64]

Controversy

Ethnicity

Evo Morales has declared himself the first Amerindian president, a controversial claim due to the Amerindian heritages of such prior Bolivian presidents as Mariano Melgarejo (1864), Carlos Quintanilla (1939), René Barrientos (1964), Juan José Torres (1976), Luis García Meza (1980), and Celso Torrelio Villa (1981). For indigenous peoples in the United States other than Hawaii and Alaska see also Native Americans in the United States. Manuel Mariano Melgarejo Valencia (1818&ndash1871 was leader of his country Bolivia, from December 28, 1864, to January 15, 1871 General Carlos Quintanilla (Cochabamba Bolivia, January 22, 1888 - June 8, 1964) served as the de-facto President of Bolivia from René Barrientos Ortuño ( May 30, 1919 – April 27, 1969) was a Bolivian politician who served as his country's vice-president in Juan José Torres González (1920— 2 June, 1976) was a Bolivian socialist politician and military leader Luis García Meza Tejada (b August 8, 1932, La Paz, Bolivia) is a former Bolivian dictator Celso Torrelio Villa ( June 3, 1933, Chuquisaca, Bolivia - April 23, 1999, La Paz) was a military general While the claim is a potent symbol to many people who have seen themselves as disenfranchised and oppressed by a European minority, this claim has been challenged publicly by the novelist Mario Vargas Llosa,^[65] who accuses Evo of fomenting racial divisions in an increasingly mestizo Latin America. Jorge Mario Pedro Vargas Llosa (born March 28 1936 is a Peruvian writer Politician, Journalist, and Essayist. Mestizo is a Spanish term that was coined during the Spanish Empire to refer to people of mixed European and Amerindian ancestry in Latin

The Uruguayan writer Eduardo Galeano responded to Vargas Llosa saying: "I see what is happening in Bolivia as a very significant act of affirmation of diversity [which is opposite to] racism, elitism and militarism, which leave us blind to our marvellous existence, to that rainbow that we are". Eduardo Hughes Galeano (born September 3, 1940) is an Uruguayan journalist, Writer and one of the most outstanding representatives Jorge Mario Pedro Vargas Llosa (born March 28 1936 is a Peruvian writer Politician, Journalist, and Essayist. ^[66]

Conflict with Reyes Villa

Among Morales's most outspoken political opponents is Cochabamba Governor Manfred Reyes Villa. Manfred Reyes Villa (born April 20, 1954) is a Bolivian politician who was mayor of Cochabamba four times and ran for presidency in 2002 against In early 2007 his opposition to Morales' policies inspired many of the President's supporters to take to the streets and demand his resignation. As the group interacted with police and Reyes Villa's supporters events escalated into violence, leaving two dead and 100 injured before calm could be restored.

For more details on this topic, see Cochabamba social unrest of 2007. The Cochabamba social unrest of 2007 is an event in Bolivia. The policies of the Socialist President Evo Morales had caused many politicians in other political

Ponchos Rojos

On January 23, 2007 Morales and Bolivian military chiefs attended an indigenous peoples rally of the "Red Ponchos" (Ponchos Rojos) who support him in the Andean region of Omasuyos. Events 393 - Roman Emperor Theodosius I proclaims his nine year old son Honorius co-emperor Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. At the rally Morales thanked the group, saying "I urge our Armed Forces along with the ‘Ponchos Rojos’ to defend our unity and our territorial integrity. " Because the group is seen as armed and militant by Morales's opposition they accused him and the Armed Forces of supporting "illegal militias. "^[29] The rally was held in Achacachi which during the 1970s was the center of the leftist guerrilla movement EGTK (Tupac Katari Guerrilla Army) which had Morales' vice president Álvaro García Linera in their membership. Achacachi is a town on the Altiplano Plateau in the South American Andes in Bolivia. The Tupac Katari Guerrilla Army (Ejército Guerrillero Túpac Katari is an indigenous guerrilla movement in Bolivia. ^[67] To the cheers of the crowd Morales chastised those calling for regional autonomy saying, "No caballero [a term for white colonizers] will be able to split apart Bolivia. "^[67]

Advisor faces terrorism charges in Peru

Walter Chávez resigned on February 1, 2007 after being indicted for acts of terrorism in his native country of Peru, which seeks his extradition. Events 1327 - Teenaged Edward III is crowned King of England, but the country is ruled by his mother Queen Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Chavez fled Peru following the 1992 coup carried out by Alberto Fujimori to Bolivia where he sought and gained refugee status after presenting his case to the Bolivian government and the United Nations. For 15 years, Chavez made a name for himself in public life as a journalist for numerous newspapers, including La Razon – perhaps Bolivia's most important daily newspaper.

Chávez was hired by the Morales’Presidential campaign and continued on as media advisor for the Presidency once Morales took office. He is accused by Peruvian authorities of “having been a member of the Túpac Amaru Revolutionary Movement guerrilla group that carried out bombings and kidnappings in the 1980s and 1990s. The Túpac Amaru Revolutionary Movement ( Spanish: Movimiento Revolucionario Túpac Amaru (MRTA was a Communist guerrilla movement ”^[68] The specific charges against Chávez is that he was “a MRTA member who extorted two Peruvian businessmen on behalf of the group in 1990. The Túpac Amaru Revolutionary Movement ( Spanish: Movimiento Revolucionario Túpac Amaru (MRTA was a Communist guerrilla movement …[that same year] Chávez was arrested after receiving $10,000 from one of the men, was released on bail a month later and in 1992 fled to Bolivia. ”^[68] He is also accused "of receiving $5,000 in another case. "^[69] Chávez has repeatedly denied the charges, saying "They accused me of being part of an MRTA cell but they never proved anything against me. "^[70]

The resignation came as the Bolivian Senate (which is led by an alliance of opposition parties) announced its intention to rapidly investigate the extent of "Chávez's duties and how he obtained residency in the country. The National Congress ( Congreso Nacional) is the national Legislature of Bolivia, based in the nation's De facto Capital, "^[70] Peruvian television, Bolivian newspapers and the Miami Herald were also pursuing the story with ever more vigor, in the days leading to Chávez leaving the Morales government. The Miami Herald is a daily Newspaper owned by The McClatchy Company headquartered in Downtown Miami Florida. He explained his resignation to the Miami Herald, saying that "A lot of things have been said that weren't true. This is beginning to hurt the government. "^[68] In 2006, Peru had quietly asked for the extradition of Chávez but was turned down as he had been granted political asylum by the Bolivian government. Peru announced that it would be re-filing its extradition request. Chávez said he has no plans to defend himself in court by going to Peru. ^[68]

Miners protest

In early February 2007, parts of the Bolivian region of La Paz were brought to a standstill as 20,000 miners took to the roads and streets to protest a tax hike to the Complementary Mining Tax (ICM) by the Morales government. ^[71][72] The protesting miners threw dynamite and clashed with those passing by. Dynamite is an explosive based on the explosive potential of Nitroglycerin, initially using Diatomaceous earth (kieselgur US Spelling kieselguhr The Morales government had attempted to head-off the demonstration by announcing on February 5, 2007 that the tax increase was not directed at the 50,000 miners who are co-op members but at larger private mining companies. Events 1576 - Henry of Navarre converts to Roman Catholicism in order to ensure his right to the throne of France. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ^[71] This did not dissuade the thousands of protestors who had already gathered nearby the capital in the less affluent city of El Alto. ^[73]

For more details on this topic, see Bolivian miners' protest of 2007. In early 2007 members of Bolivia's mining co-operatives took to the streets to protest a proposed tax by the government of Evo Morales.

Movements for regional autonomy

Morales's statist economic policies have generated opposition from several departments, including Santa Cruz, which have oil and agricultural resources. |||} Bolivia is divided into 9 departments (departamentos These are (with their capitals indicated in parentheses Beni ( Trinidad) Government and Administration According to current Constitution, the highest authority in the department lies with the prefect (prefecto similar to a governor but Political parties that oppose Morales, along with pro-market groups disrupted the workings of Bolivia's Constitutional Assembly by disputing voting mechanisms within the assembly and then by introducing a divisive debate about which city should be Bolivia's capital. The Bolivian Constituent Assembly, convened on August 6, 2006 in Sucre, with the purpose of drafting a new national Constitution by December ^[74] Six of the country's nine governors are also demanding more autonomy from the central government and a larger share of government revenues.

The six are the governors of La Paz, Santa Cruz, Cochabamba, Pando, Beni, and Tarija. Nuestra Señora de La Paz is the administrative Capital of Bolivia, as well as the departmental capital of La Paz Department. Government and Administration According to current Constitution, the highest authority in the department lies with the prefect (prefecto similar to a governor but Cochabamba is a city in central Bolivia, located in a Valley bearing the same name in the Andes Mountain range. The remaining three governors are part of Morales's Movimiento al Socialismo party. The Movement for Socialism ( Movimiento al Socialismo, MAS alternately referred to as "Movement Toward Socialism" or "Movement to Socialism" is a ^[75][67] They are among the first generation of popularly (directly) elected governors. Before December 2005, all governors were political appointees of the President. ^[75]

The call for autonomy comes mainly from the resource-rich, lowland regions of Bolivia, which are centers of opposition against Morales. It has been alleged that the autonomy question “has relatively little to do with language, culture, [and] religion… it is mostly about money and resources — specifically, who controls Bolivia's valuable natural gas reserves, second largest in South America after Venezuela's. South America is a Continent of the Americas, situated entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a Venezuela (ˌvɛnəˈzweɪlə) officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (Spanish República Bolivariana de Venezuela) is a country on the ”^[67] There are also racial overtones to the autonomy movement, quasi-fascist groups such as the Nación Camba and the Unión Juvenil Cruceñista use violent and intimidation tactics against indigenous groups, using autonomy as a tool to subvert the elected government. Fascism is a totalitarian nationalist and corporatist ideology ^[76] The UN Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Rodolfo Stavenhagen, also published a report on the situation in Santa Cruz following a visit in December 2007 and observed that the political climate had give rise to ‘manifestations of racism more suited to a colonial society than a modern democratic state’. Special Rapporteur is a title given to individuals working on behalf of the United Nations who bear a specific mandate from the UN Human Rights Council (or the former Rodolfo Stavenhagen (born 1932) is a Mexican sociologist He is a professor-researcher at El Colegio de México and former Deputy Director General of ^[77][78]

Morales sees the calls for autonomy as an attempt to break up Bolivia and has vowed to fight them. He has “repeatedly charged that rich landowners and businesspeople from the eastern city of Santa Cruz, an anti-Morales stronghold, were fomenting and funding the autonomy movement in a bid to grab national resources. ”^[67]

Four departments, Santa Cruz, Tarija, Beni and Pando, announced in December 2007, shortly after the proposal of a new Bolivian constitution, that they would seek more autonomy and self-government. ^[79][80] Santa Cruz and Beni called referendums on autonomy to be held on May 4th 2008 and June 1st 2008 respectively. Government and Administration According to current Constitution, the highest authority in the department lies with the prefect (prefecto similar to a governor but However, the autonomy statutes which they have proposed have been declared illegal and unconstitutional by the Bolivian National Electoral Court. ^[81][82]

On May 4th 2008 authorities in Santa Cruz held a local referendum on the autonomy statutes that had been presented in December 2007. A referendum (plural referendums or referenda) ballot question, or plebiscite (from Latin plebiscita The scheduled referendum vote was struck down by Bolivia's National Electoral Court and no international observers were present, both the Organization of American States and the European Union declined to send observers. The Organization of American States ( OAS, or as it is known in the three other official languages OEA) is an International organization, headquartered The European Union ( EU) is a political and economic union of twenty-seven member states, located primarily in ^[83] There was a high rate of abstinance from the referendum and some polling booths were blocked and ballot boxes destroyed. ^[84] There were reports of disruptions in areas which are known MAS strongholds, where people took direct action to destroy ballot boxes and stop voting. These were especially pronounced in areas of major immigration from the western highlands, like Yapacani and San Julián, as well as in areas under indigenous control. In Guaraní territory, ballot boxes were burned in a rejection of the legitimacy of the vote. Guaraní are a group of culturally related indigenous peoples of South America, distinguished from the related Tupi by their use of the Guaraní language There were also allegations of fraud and ballot box interference. Reports allege that ballot boxes were delivered already containing pre-marked ballot papers on which crosses had been placed next to the YES option. ^[85] Many of the protesters accused Santa Cruz leaders of trying to secede from Bolivia and expressed support for a draft constitution written by Bolivia's Constituent Assembly that grants several different levels of autonomy including departmental and indigenous autonomy. The Bolivian Constituent Assembly, convened on August 6, 2006 in Sucre, with the purpose of drafting a new national Constitution by December Despite this, results showed 85% approval for the autonomy statute, though abstention was recorded at 39%. The Santa Cruz autonomy movement conflicts with the constitutional reform proposed by Evo Morales, who seeks to create, as Morales and his supporters perceive it, a fairer state which includes full rights and recognition of the previously marginalized indigenous majority. Autonomy ( Greek: Auto- Nomos - nomos meaning "law" one who gives oneself his/her own Law) is the right to Self-government ^[86]

The results thrilled leaders in the eastern Bolivian province of Santa Cruz, who had defied the order of the National Electoral Court, the Congress and President Evo Morales by putting the statute up for a vote. The National Congress ( Congreso Nacional) is the national Legislature of Bolivia, based in the nation's De facto Capital, The President of Bolivia is the head of state of Bolivia. According to the current constitution the president is elected by popular vote for a single non-renewable five year The statute would give the department additional powers such as the right to form its own police, set tax and land-use policies and elect a governor.

On May 8, the National Congress passed a law establishing a recall election for the mandates of the President, Vice President and nine departmental Prefects (six of whom are sympathetic to the opposition). Events 589 - Reccared summons the Third Council of Toledo 1450 - Jack Cade's Rebellion: Kentishmen The National Congress ( Congreso Nacional) is the national Legislature of Bolivia, based in the nation's De facto Capital, A vote of confidence in President Evo Morales in the form of a Referendum was held in Bolivia on 10 August 2008. The President of Bolivia is the head of state of Bolivia. According to the current constitution the president is elected by popular vote for a single non-renewable five year This is a list of Vice Presidents of Bolivia, the second highest political position in Bolivia Prefect (from the Latin praefectus, perfect participle of praeficere: "make in front" i President Evo Morales supported this initiative. ^[87][88]

The racist elements of the autonomy movement came to the fore in the city of Sucre on May 24. Sucre (population 247300 in 2006 is the constitutional Capital of Bolivia, seat of the Supreme Court ( Corte Suprema de Justicia Peasants from settlements outside Sucre came to the centre of the city to participate in a ceremony with President Morales. President is a Title leaders of Organizations companies, Trade unions universities, and countries. Instead they were accosted by an aggresive group of young people and marched to Sucre's central square. There they were made to strip to the waist and burn their ponchos, the flag of the MAS party and the wiphala (the flag of the indigenous peoples). A poncho is a simple garment designed to keep the body warm or if made from a watertight material to keep dry during Rain. The Wiphala is a square emblem commonly used as a Flag, representing the native peoples of the central Andes and Bolivian Amazon region While they were doing this they were forced to shout anti-government slogans and were physically aggressed. Present in the square at the time were Jorge "Tuto" Quiroga, former president and leader of the opposition party Podemos, opposition Senator Oscar Ortiz and Prefect of Cochabamba, Manfred Reyes Villa. Jorge Fernando "Tuto" Quiroga Ramírez (born May 5, 1960) was President of Bolivia from August 7, 2001 to Podemos is the name of a right-of-center pro-business Bolivian political party A senate is a Deliberative body, often the Upper house or chamber of a Legislature or Parliament. Oscar Ortiz might refer to one of the following Oscar Ortiz (Argentine footballer (1953&mdash Argentine football player and winner of the 1978 World Cup Prefect (from the Latin praefectus, perfect participle of praeficere: "make in front" i Cochabamba is a city in central Bolivia, located in a Valley bearing the same name in the Andes Mountain range. Manfred Reyes Villa (born April 20, 1954) is a Bolivian politician who was mayor of Cochabamba four times and ran for presidency in 2002 against ^[89] After these events the government declared it to be a "day of national shame".

References

See also

• Axis of Good
• Bolivia
• Coca
• Adriana Gil

External links

• Presidencia de la República de Bolivia
• Morales: I Believe Only In The Power Of The People
• (Spanish) Official Campaign Site Movimiento al Socialismo Bolivia
• Interview (on CounterPunch)
• (Spanish) MAS website
• Profile: Evo Morales, BBC News Online
• "Bolivia's Home-Grown President" Article in The Nation, (December 21, 2005). Definition President Bush's exact statement was as follows second goal is to prevent regimes (terrorist that sponsor terror from threatening America or our friends and The Republic of Bolivia (República de Bolivia) named after Simón Bolívar, is a Landlocked country in central South America. Not to be confused with Cocoa. Coca is a Plant in the family Erythroxylaceae, native to north-western South America Adriana Gil is a Bolivian political figure She is the party leader of Social Democratic Force (SDF a movement which bills itself as a left-wing democratic CounterPunch is a biweekly Newsletter published in the United States that covers politics in a manner its editors describe as "muckraking with a radical This article is about the US Publication. For other newspapers magazines and alternate uses by the same name see The Nation (disambiguation. Events 69 - The end of the Year of the four emperors: Following Galba, Otho and Vitellius, Vespasian Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.
• "'Evo Fashion' arrives in Bolivia", Morales's distinctive dress sense, on BBC News Online
• "Bolivia's first Indian president sworn in", Morales' inauguration ceremony on CNN's website
• Biography of Evo Morales at CIDOB (Spanish)
• WWW-VL: History: Bolivia
• Bolivia Gas Under State Control, BBC News Online
• "Direct Intervention: A Call for Bush and Bolivia’s Morales to Take a Leap of Faith and Change Presidential Issues into Personal Ones", From the Council on Hemispheric Affairs
• "Bolivian President Evo Morales on Latin America, U.S. Foreign Policy and the Role of the Indigenous People of Bolivia", Interview on Democracy Now!
• Bolivia: On the Road With Evo — The making of an unlikely president
• Interview with director of Cocalero, a new documentary about Evo Morales
• Talk to Jazeera - Evo Morales - 28 March - Pt1 at YouTube
• Talk to Jazeera - Evo Morales - 28 March - Pt2 at YouTube
• Bolivia Information Forum Information and background about Evo Morales and MAS party
• Evo Morales Interview with BBC

Political offices
Preceded by Eduardo Rodríguez	President of Bolivia 2006 – present	Incumbent

Cable News Network, usually referred to by its Initialism CNN, is a major English language Television network founded in 1980 by Ted Turner A biography (from the Greek words bíos (βίος meaning "life" and gráphein (γράφειν meaning "to write" is an account CIDOB, acronym of Center for International Relations and Development Studies (in Catalan language, Centre d’Informació i Documentació Internacionals a Barcelona Democracy Now! is a syndicated program of news analysis and opinion aired by more than 700 Radio and Television, satellite YouTube is a video sharing website where users can upload view and share Video clips YouTube was created in February 2005 by three former PayPal employees YouTube is a video sharing website where users can upload view and share Video clips YouTube was created in February 2005 by three former PayPal employees Eduardo Rodríguez Veltzé (born March 2, 1956) is a former president of Bolivia; prior to that appointment he was the chief justice of the The President of Bolivia is the head of state of Bolivia. According to the current constitution the president is elected by popular vote for a single non-renewable five year

---

© 2009 citizendia.org; parts available under the terms of GNU Free Documentation License, from http://en.wikipedia.org
Dapyx Software network: MP3 Explorer | Ebook Manager | Zenithic