Morales Discusses Ethnic Inequality

The president of Bolivia was greeted by a standing ovation in Miller Theatre yesterday before addressing a packed crowd about racial inequality in his country.

Evo Morales, who is the first indigenous president ever elected to Bolivia's highest office, promised that the empowerment of indigenous peoples in Bolivia, who comprise the country's majority, will not lead to the exclusion of the rest of Bolivia's citizens.

"We do not want to oppress or subordinate anyone even though we have been oppressed and subordinated," Morales said through a translator, who struggled to keep up with his enthusiastic tongue. "The indigenous movement is inclusionary, not exclusionary."

Morales gained the trust of the indigenous majority as he ascended from a union leader in the 1980s to senate candidacy in 1997. He was expelled from Bolivia's congress in 2002 by historically elite parties, only to take second place in national elections six months later.

In December 2005 Morales shocked his country and the world by ascending to the presidency with 53.7 percent of the popular vote.

"I made it to the presidency because of honesty," said Morales. "To be a leader means to serve, to make sacrifices."

Morales was introduced by the Foreign Minister of Bolivia, David Choquehuanca, an activist for indigenous rights and a longtime friend who said that the exploitation of Bolivia's natural resources must end.

"Perhaps attacking nature can make us live better," Choquehuanca said. "Perhaps exploiting other people can make us live better, but we don't want that. We want to live well. We, the indigenous people want to return to the path of balance between people and nature."

Their speeches were preceded by a performance of a chief's song by the Silver Cloud Singers, an intertribal Native American singing group.

Morales expressed surprise at the warm reception, as he said U.S. State Department officials once referred to him as a drug trafficker and a terrorist during his days as a union leader.

A question and answer session followed, cut short because of time constraints. Morales joked that it was because the U.S. Embassy in Bolivia had only granted him a short-term visa.