 | |  |
 |
|
|
|
Bolivia
Swears In First Indian President |
Posted:
1.23.06
|
|
|
Evo Morales, the first Indian elected president of the South
American nation of Bolivia, was sworn in Sunday.
Printer-friendly versions: PDF
|
|
|
|
|
Promising to improve the situation for the poor by reclaiming
natural resources and moving away from U.S. policies, Morales
demonstrated a continuing shift to the left in Latin American
politics.
Thousands of people filled the streets of La Paz, Bolivia's capital,
to celebrate the swearing in of Morales, 46, a former coca farmer
and Aymara Indian who broke into tears as he took his oath of
office.
Morales, who spoke in both Spanish and his native Aymara, expressed
his joy at seeing so many indigenous Bolivians, who make up more
than 60 percent of the population, celebrating in the colonial
city's main plazas.
"Forty or 50 years ago, we didn't even have the right to
enter the Plaza San Francisco or the Plaza Murillo," he said.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Political
upheaval |
|
|
|
|
|
Locked between Peru, Chile, Argentina and Brazil, with no access
to the ocean for trade or fishing, Bolivia is among the poorest
countries in Latin America.
Roughly two-thirds of Bolivians live on less than $2 a day.
Morales comes to power after a period of political turmoil. Between
2003 and 2005 massive street protests against gas policies and
government intervention in business toppled two Bolivian presidents.
Morales was elected with 54 percent of the vote in December after
promising to reverse years of poverty and political domination
by the country's rich elite.
He has protested the "neo-liberal" economic policies
of the
United States, a term that many in the region use to describe
free trade.
Morales has said that he welcomes dialogue with the United States,
which he refers to as "the empire."
"If the empire wants to support us, the support will be
welcome," he said. "With the United States, we want
agreements, but not subordination."
|
|
|
|
Coca eradication
|
|
|
|
|
|
Once the leader of the Bolivia's coca farmers, Morales has long
protested the U.S.-backed coca eradication plans.
Coca, the main ingredient in the illegal  drug
cocaine, should be grown for medicinal and traditional uses, Morales
has said, though he also has promised to fight the drug trade.
"This political tool for the sovereignty of the people --
legally called the movement toward socialism -- was born to defend
this coca leaf, to defend our land and territory," Morales
said while campaigning.
Bolivia has become the world's third largest cocaine producer.
Last year, the United States spent about $150 million to combat
cocaine production and trafficking.
|
|
|
|
Rich in natural
gas reserves |
|
|
|
|
|
Bolivia also has large reserves of natural gas, which is used
to fuel millions of homes in the United States.
Morales has promised to take over the gas reserves from the large
oil and gas companies that have bought the rights to extract and
sell the gas. 
"It's just not possible that Bolivians are (sitting) on
top of the gas and going without gas. This has to end," Morales
said while visiting neighbor Argentina in the days before his
inauguration.
Industry analysts believe that Morales is more likely to renegotiate
oil company contracts, set higher taxes and stricter controls
over production levels and prices, rather than wholly take over
the industry, the BBC reported.
"He's going to drive a harder bargain and make sure that
Bolivians get something from their resources. And he's in a very
good position to do so," Mark Weisbrot, from the Center for
Economic and Policy Research, told the NewsHour.
|
|
|
|
Can change
come quickly enough? |
|
|
|
|
|
During his inauguration speech, Morales pledged to change the
harsh reality that is life for many Bolivians
 "We
are here to change our history," Morales said. "This
is the conscience of the people, our people, the fight of our
people."
But critics worry that Morales will not be able to work quickly
enough to make changes that will satisfy his left-leaning supporters.
They include Gregorio Machicado Quispe, 48, who told the New
York Times, "We expect a complete change."
"The government needs to favor the poor, suffering classes,"
he said. "We have to control the wealth here in Bolivia."
And although he promised to be a "nightmare to the United
States," Morales seems to have softened that stance since
the election. He met with U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Thomas
Shannon Saturday, to discuss how to continue a U.S.-Bolivian dialogue.
"We want the Bolivian people to succeed and for the Bolivian
people to succeed, this government needs to succeed," Shannon
said. 
Bolivia joins a growing list of South American nations that have
elected left-leaning candidates.
Last week, Chile elected Michelle Bachelet from the Socialist
Party, joining leftist governments in Venezuela, Brazil, Argentina
and Uruguay.
--
Compiled by Annie Schleicher for NewsHour Extra
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Junior Arman Gupta's father was initially shocked when he brought up the idea of military school, but his father warmed to the idea.
