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A12 WORLD NEWS
Thursday 10 OcTOber 2019

Evo Morales faces toughest test to keep power in Bolivia

By CARLOS VALDEZ slash-and-burn agriculture.
Associated Press Some indigenous groups
LA PAZ, Bolivia (AP) — He have been upset by de-
was a llama shepherd from velopment efforts on their
the Bolivian highlands who lands.
one day became the first Even in his hometown,
indigenous president of a some are wary.
majority indigenous na- "Before we saw him more
tion, a leftist union leader of concerned about the peo-
rowdy street protests who ple. Now, not so much," said
came to preside over more a woman who has a mod-
than a decade of business- est neighborhood store in
boosting economic growth Orinoca. She would reveal
in South America's poorest only her first name, Maria,
country. saying she feared what the
Now Evo Morales may be government could do if she
facing his toughest test as spoke out freely in Morales'
president. Voters once ex- hometown.
cited by his fairy tale rise "If he goes out (of office) or
have grown wary of his re- gets (re-elected), it's all the
luctance to leave power A campaign poster featuring President Evo Morales giving a thumbs up reads in Spanish "Evo and same to me," she said
and uneasy at his policies. the people. Morales, born in 1959,
Morales coasted to victory Associated Press herded llamas as an Ay-
in previous elections, be- mara child on Bolivia's
coming the longest-serving Since he took office in 2006, ways distrusted the leader While Morales has avoid- wind-swept highlands pla-
leader of a nation long the economy has grown of the Movement Toward ed the personal corrup- teau and accompanied
notorious for instability. But by an annual average of Socialism party and many tion scandals that have his father to Argentina as
polls point to a close race about 4.5%, well above Bolivians were upset at his tarred or toppled leaders an impoverished migrant.
in the Oct. 20 vote, where the regional average, and attempt to seek another in neighboring Brazil, Peru His family grew coca, an
he will seek a fourth term. the International Monetary re-election despite a popu- and Argentina, Human important traditional tea
"After a long time, we're Fund predicts it will grow at lar referendum that upheld Rights Watch has accused that is also the raw material
facing very tight elections," 4 percent this year. term limits. He was able to his government of under- for cocaine, and he rose
said Franklin Pareja, a politi- Following a boom in com- run only because of a Su- mining judicial indepen- to prominence as a leader
cal science professor in La modities prices a decade preme Court ruling that the dence by arbitrarily dismiss- of a coca growers' union
Paz. ago, Morales paved roads, limits violated his political ing nearly 100 judges since fighting U.S. efforts to ban
While opinion surveys show sent Bolivia's first satellite rights. 2017. The group said the the plant.
Morales leading, they also to space and curbed in- Some also complain of al- judges were not given any In his spare time, he is also
indicate he may not win flation. Stadiums, markets, leged excesses, such as reason for the dismissals an avid soccer fan who
outright in the first round, schools, state enterprises a $7 million museum that by a Magistrates Council has often played with jour-
setting up a December and even a village bear his opened in 2017 in his home- dominated by allies of Mo- nalists, union leaders, diplo-
runoff election in which he name. town of Orinoca, a high- rales. mats and even other presi-
would be in danger of los- Known for his charisma and land village of poor farm- Bolivia's top electoral court dents. Morales has ordered
ing to a united opposition. a folksy sense of humor, ers and llama shepherds accepted his candidacy the construction of playing
Surrounded by nations reel- he remains highly popular where only a few streets for a fourth term despite a fields nationwide and col-
ing from economic crises, among Bolivia's poorest. are paved and many constitutional ban and the lects jerseys from profes-
Bolivia under Morales re- "Morales has set the pres- homes lack potable water referendum against such sional players, including
mains a rare example of ence of the state in every and sewage systems. re-election. Argentine star Lionel Messi.
stability and growth. The single corner," Pareja said. After first taking office, he Environmentalists and Morales has also attempt-
59-year-old president is The president, he added, reduced his salary and many young people were ed to promote indigenous
credited with pragmatic "revamped the self-con- promised austerity. But angered this year with his cultures that were long
economic stewardship that fidence of Bolivians. He shortly after, he bought a response to thousands of looked down upon, and
spread Bolivia's natural gas marked a before and af- new airplane and built a forest fires that many say has often celebrated rever-
and mineral wealth among ter." 26-story presidential pal- were encouraged by his ence for the Pachamama,
the masses. But conservatives have al- ace with a heliport. push to develop areas with or Mother Earth.q