Evo Morales's challenge, John Crabtree

Wed, 25 Jan 2006 00:00:00 +0000

Evo Morales did not take long after his inauguration as Bolivia's new president on 22 January 2006 to make his political intentions clear. The first cabinet he announced the following day is designed to perform two tasks: to give a voice to the social movements that accompanied his Movimiento al Socialismo (Mas) in December's election landslide, and to draw a line under the past by showing that his election does indeed represent a fresh start in Latin America's poorest country.

The coming to power of Evo – as he is universally known in Bolivia – has awoken far more international interest than is usual for a change of government in Bolivia. His much-publicised visit to Europe and Asia at the beginning of January involved meetings with major world leaders. For some, including members of the business community, Morales's confirmation as Bolivia's head of state is seen as further evidence of the current left-wing tilt in Latin American politics. For others it represents the initiation of a period of greater respect for national autonomy in a country long inured to outside interference. Evo's inaugural speech on 22 January called for greater respect both for the country's downtrodden indigenous majority and for Bolivia's sovereignty.

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Evo Morales's challenge, John Crabtree