Evo Morales

Who is Evo Morales?

Juan Evo Morales Ayma, popularly known as Evo, is a Bolivian cocalero activist and politician, who has served as President of Bolivia since 2006. Widely regarded as the country's first democratically-elected President to come from the indigenous population, his administration has focused on the implementation of leftist policies, poverty reduction, and combating the influence of the United States and transnational corporations in Bolivia. A democratic socialist, he is the head of the Movement for Socialism political party.

Born to an Aymara family of subsistence farmers in Isallawi, Orinoca Canton, Morales undertook a basic education before mandatory military service, in 1978 moving to Chapare Province. Growing coca and becoming a trade unionist, he rose to prominence in the campesino union, campaigning against U.S. and Bolivian attempts to eradicate coca as a part of the War on Drugs. Often taking direct action against the government, he was arrested on multiple occasions. Entering electoral politics in 1995, he became the leader of the MAS, and began a campaign focusing on issues affecting indigenous and poor communities, advocating land reform and the redistribution of gas wealth. Gaining increasing visibility through the Cochabamba protests and gas conflict, in 2002 he was expelled from Congress, though came second in that year's presidential election.