TWO POLITICAL LEADERS FROM BRAZIL

1. GETULIO VARGAS (1930-1934)

BRIEF BIOGRAPHY:
 BORN APRIL 19, 1882 INTO A FAMILY PROMINENT POLITICS
 JOINED ARMY WHEN 16 BUT LATER DECIDED TO STUDY LAW
 ENTERED POLITICS IN 1908 AFTER GRADUATING LAW
 WAS ELECTED TO NATIONAL CONGRESS IN 1922 AND SERVED FOR 4 YEARS
 IN 1926, HE BECAME THE MINISTER OF FINANCE UN THE CABINET OF
PRESIDENT WASHINGTON RIVEIRA DE SOUSA
 BECAME GOVERNER IN RIO GRANDE DO SUL IN 1928
 HE WAS THE REFORM CANDIDATE FOR PRESIDENCY IN 1930
 THE SAME YEAR, HE LED THE BRAZILIAN REVOLUTION OF 1930 AND
OVERTHREW THE OLIGARCHICAL REPUBLIC
 HE WAS THE PROVISIONAL PRESIDENT IN A DICTATORIAL RULE AND RULING
WITHOUT A CONGRESS FROM 1930-1934

CONTRIBUTION TO STATE FORMATION, DEMOCRACY AND NATIONALISM, ETC:

 PRIOR TO 1930, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAD BEEN A FEDERATION OF

AUTONOMOUS STATES DOMINATED BY RURAL LANDHOLDERS AND FINANCED
LARGELY BY THE PROCEEDS OF AGRICULTURAL EXPORTS, THIS WAS
DESTROYED UNDER VARGAS’ ADMINISTRATION
 ELECTORATE WAS QUADRUPLED AND WAS THE GRANTED THE SECRET
BALLOTS AND THE WOMEN WERE ENFRANCHISED
 EXTENSIVE EDUCATION REFORMS WERE INTRODUCED
 INSTITUTED MINIMUM WAGE AND PASSED LABOR LEGISLATION. LABOR WAS
ORGANIZED AND CONTROLLED BY THE GOVERNMENT AND THE WORKERS
WERE ASSURED WITH WIDE RANGE BENEFITS ALSO, SOCIAL SECURITY LAWS
WERE ENACTED
 VARGAS WAS SET ON UNIFYING BRAZIL AND WROTE IT A CONSTITUTION
WHICH ESTABLISHED A BICAMERAL LEGISLATURE AND A POPULAR ELECTED
PRESIDENT
 UPON HIS REELECTION, HE HELPED SOUGHT INTERNATIONAL TRADE AND
REBUILT THE MILITARY

2. JUSCELINO KUBITSCHEK (1956-1961)

BRIEF BIOGRAPHY:
 21ST PRESIDENT OF BRAZIL
 BORN INTO A POOR FAMILY, HIS FATHER WAS A TRAVELLING SALESMAN WHILE
HIS MOTHER WAS A SCHOOL TEACHER
 HE ENTERED MEDICAL SCHOOL AND SUPPORTED HIMSELF AS A TELEGRAPH
OPERATOR
 GRADUATED AS A TRAINED MEDICAL DOCTOR IN 1927
 HE WAS ELECTED TO CHAMBER OF DEPUTIES OF BRAZIL FROM HIS HOME
STATE IN 1934
 HE WAS APPOINTED AS A MAYOR OF BELO HORIZONTE IN 1940 WHERE HE
REALIZED THE PROJECT OF AN ARTIFICIAL LAKE (PAMPULHA LAKE) TO SUPPLY
WATER TO THE CITY
  HE WAS ELECTED TO NATIONAL CONGRESS OF BRAZIL IN 1945 AND BECAME
GOVERNOR OF THE DSTATE OF MINAS GERAIS IN 1950
 IN 1955, HE RAN FOR PRESIDENCY WITH THE SLOGAN “50 YEARS OF PROGRSS
IN FIVE” AND WON
 SWORN IN ON JANUARY 31, 1956 AS PRESIDENT OF WHAT WAS KNOWN AS THE
REPUBLIC OF THE UNITED STATES OF BRAZIL

CONTRIBUTION TO STATE FORMATION, DEMOCRACY AND NATIONALISM, ETC:

 RAPID INDUSTRIALIZATION, CENTRALIZATION, MODERNIZATION,

NATIONALISM
 SOUGHT TO STIMULATE DIVERSIFICATION AND EXPANSION OF
BRAZILIAN ECONOMY BASED ON INDUSTRIAL EXPANSION AND
INTEGRATION OF THE NATIONAL TERRITORY
 EXPANDED NUMEROUS HYDROELECTRIC PLANTS, BROUGHT THE
GERMAN STEEL COMPANY TO THE STATE, AND ENLARGED ROAD
NETWORK BY MANY HUNDREDS OF MILES, BUILT MANY CLINICS,
SCHOOLS AND BRIDGES AND DEVELOPED AUTOMOBILE PRODUCTION
WHICH SOON MADE BRAZIL ALMOST SELF SUFFICIENT IN SUCH
PRODUCTION
 RECONCILED BRAZILIAN SOCIETY BY TRANSFERRING THE CAPITAL
FROM RIO DE JANEIRO TO BRASILIA WHICH INTEGRATED BRAZIL’S
FARTHEST REGIONS BRINGING DEVELOPMENT TO UNPOPULATED
AREAS AND GUARANTEEING BRAZIL’S CULTURAL AND TERRITORIAL
UNITY ONCE AND FOR ALL. PUTTING MODERN INFRASTRACTURES IN
SAVANNA WITHIN 41 MONTHS. THE CAPITAL BECAME A MASTERPIECE
OF MODERN URBANISM AND ARCHITECTURE AS SOON AS IT WAS
INAUGURATED
 GAVE POLITICAL AMNESTY TO THE MEN WHO TOOK PART IN THE
REVOLTA DE JACAREACANGA AND ARAGARCAS MILITARY REVOLT

Columbia & Venezuela

Latin American Presidents

 Born 10 August 1951

 Santos is a member of the wealthy and influential Santos family

 Graduated at University of Kansas

Juan Manuel Santos Caldrón

 He was a cadet at the Navy Academy in Cartagena

 joined the National Federation of Coffee Growers of Colombia

 attended the London School of Economics

 Santos earned a mid-career/master's in public administration in 1981 from Harvard Kennedy

School (HKS) and was a 1988 Nieman Fellow for his award-winning work as a columnist and
reporter.
 President of Colombia, in office since 2010.

Contribution on State Formation, Nationalism & Democracy

 In 1991, he was appointed by President César Gaviria Trujillo as Colombia's first Minister of
Foreign Trade.

 In 2000, he was appointed by President Andrés Pastrana Arango as the 64th Minister of
Finance and Public Credit

 In 2005, he co-founded and led the Social Party of National Unity (Party of the U),
a liberal-conservative party coalition that backed the policies of President Uribe

 Santos was appointed as Minister of National Defence, and continued defending the security
policies of President Uribe, taking a strong and forceful stance against FARC and the other
guerrilla groups operating in Colombia.

 Santos also created the Good Government Foundation

 On October 7, 2016, Santos was announced as recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, for his
efforts negotiating a peace treaty with the FARC-guerilla in the country, despite the
unsuccessful referendum held over the deal.

 Juan Manuel Santos has been named as one of Time magazine's 100 most influential people

Political Achievements

 born 23 November 1962

 Maduro rose to become a trade union leader

 He was appointed to a number of positions within the Venezuelan Government under

Chávez

Nicolás Maduro Moros

 was described during this time as the "most capable administrator and politician of Chávez's
inner circle“

 Nicolas Maduro won with 50.62% of the votes as the candidate of the United Socialist Party of
Venezuela from the special election held in April 2013.

 As a result of Chávez's policies and Maduro's continuation of them, Venezuela's

socioeconomic status declined, with crime, inflation, poverty and hunger increasing.

 he was part of the team that drafted a new constitution and went on to serve as deputy at the
national assembly until 2000.

Contribution on State Formation, Nationalism & Democracy

 Maduro has also succeeded in patching up strained relations with neighboring Colombia.

 He was trying to build a stronghold relation in his relative countries.

Political Achievement

 In 1999 Maduro was a member of the National Constituent Assembly that rewrote the
constitution that was part of Chávez’s ascent to the presidency.

 Maduro also served in the Chamber of Deputies (the lower house of the Venezuelan
legislature), which was eliminated when the legislature became the unicameral National
Assembly.

 He was reelected in 2005 and served as the body’s president until 2006, when he became
foreign minister.

 October 2012, Maduro became Vice president.

PROMINENT FIGURES

CUBA

What we did yesterday taught us that

nothing is impossible.

After all, what seemed impossible yesterday,

was possible today.

So nothing will

seem impossible tomorrow.

FIDEL CASTRO

Quick facts:

 Famous as : Cuban Revolutionary Leader

 Nationality: Cuban

 Political Ideology: Communist Party of Cuba

 Birth Date & Place: August 13, 1926 AD, Birán, Cuba

 Died On: November 26, 2016 AD

 Died at Age: 90
 Father: Ángel Castro y Argiz

 Mother : Ángela María Castro Ruz

 Siblings: Raúl Castro, Ramón Castro, Juanita Castro, Angelita Castro, Enma Castro, Agustina
Castro

Political Pursuits

 Castro acquired the post of the president of the University Committee for Democracy in the
Dominican Republic. The committee decided to invade the Dominican Republic and
overthrow its right-wing president, Rafael Trujillo, who was an ally of the US.

 Castro travelled to Venezuela and Panama, before visiting Bogota, Colombia. Insurgence
and rebelliousness ruled the city as there was a riot between the governing Conservatives
and the leftist liberals. Castro supported the liberals.

 Castro rose to prominence among the public and openly protested against the government
wrongdoings. It was during the end of the 1940s that Castro was exposed to the Marxism and
was greatly influenced by the same.

 In 1945, Castro enrolled at the law school in the University of Havana and found himself
immersed in the political climate of Cuban nationalism, anti-imperialism and socialism.

 He joined the University Committee, which opposed the intervention of the US in the
Caribbean and fought for the Independence of Puerto Rico. Falling back upon honesty,
decency and justice, Castro opposed corruption and openly associated it with US
interference.

 In 1947, Castro joined the Party of the Cuban People, a socialist group headed by
presidential candidate Chibas.

 Castro realized that corrupt politicians were not the only problem of Cuba, it was the
dictatorship of the bourgeoisie that was the problem.

 Castro turned his interest to politics and became an active member of the Cuban Peace
Committee.

 Castro attacked the Moncada military barracks with an attempt to overthrow Batista.
However, the 26 July plan failed and Castro was tried and imprisoned. Nevertheless, the
incident raised the popularity of Castro amongst the Cubans.

 Castro organized a parallel government alongside that of Batista’s and started building
resistance groups in cities and small towns across Cuba. He enforced some agrarian reforms
and controlled provinces with agricultural and manufacturing production.

 In 1958, Castro, along with his group, launched military campaigns throughout the key areas
of Cuba, which resulted into the collapse of the government and Batista fled to Dominican
Republic.

 Castro emerged as a national hero. While Jose Miro Cardona was voted as the Prime
Minister for Cuba, Castro became the commander-in-chief of the military. However, as a
 result of Miro’s sudden resignation, Castro became the Prime Minister of Cuba on February
16, 1959.

Prime-Ministerial Years

 Castro accepted the position of the Prime Minister of Cuba with a condition that the powers
of the Prime Minister should be increased.

 Castro launched various reforms which resulted in nationalization of factories and

plantations. This move was mainly focussed to end the US economic domination.

 Castro’s political tactics made him a favourite with lower classes, including workers,
peasants, labors and so on, but he received opposition from the middle class which
ultimately resulted into their mass-migration to the US, causing economic brain drain in
Cuba.

 Though he denied being a Communist and argued of having Marxist-type governance,

much of his policies reflect the Soviet-style control of economy and the communist influence
on the governance.

 He was widely criticized for his reformative policies which led to the formation of anti-Castro
groups. The group opposed the government, which was duly suppressed by Castro. Even
journalists and writers who wrote against the government were forced to publish
clarification at the end to every article that opposed the government, thus leading to press
censorship.

 Castro worked towards strengthening the ties between Cuba and the Soviet Union and it
agreed to organize Cuba’s defence committee.

 Cuba agreed to buy oil from Soviet, which led to expropriation of the U.S.-owned refineries
in Cuba, when the latter refused to process the oil. Striking back, US cut short Cuba’s import
of sugar.

 US-Cuba ties worsened with the passage of time and came to all-time low in 1961. Outgoing
US President Dwight Eisenhower broke off all diplomatic relations with the Cuban
government and Castro declared Cuba a socialist state.

 In April 1961, thousands of exiles invaded Cuba at the Bay of Pigs in an attempt to overthrow
the Castro regime.

 Capitalizing on this US-backed incident, Castro further strengthened his position by

announcing the end of democratic elections and American imperialism.

 While US imposed economic ban on Cuba, the Soviet Union affirmed its base by giving
Cuba economic and military aid.

 In 1965, Castro formed the Cuba Communist party. Serving as the head of the organization,
he initiated a campaign which supported armed struggle against imperialism in Latin
America and Africa.

 In 1965, Castro formed the Cuba Communist party. Serving as the head of the organization,
he initiated a campaign which supported armed struggle against imperialism in Latin
America and Africa.
 Slowly, Castro became the leading spokesperson of the Third World countries.

Castro's Presidency & Retirement

 Castro also remained the President of the Non-Aligned Movement until 1982. Under his rule,
the literacy rate of Cuba increased to 98% as hundreds and thousands of new schools were
opened. The infant mortality rate of the country also reduced dramatically to 1.1% under the
Castro regime.

 Anyone who stood at the opposite end of Castro was removed either through imprisonment
or execution and sometimes forced emigration, which was prevalent in the 1980s when
Castro opened the port of Mariel to allow Cubans who wished to move to the U. S.

 Castro announced a number of changes at the Fourth Congress of the Cuban Communist
Party meeting, primary of which was his stepping down as the head of the government. He
retained his position as the head of the Communist Party and Commander-in-Chief of the
armed forces.

 A number of economic reforms were brought to the forefront and emigration restrictions
were relaxed. Apart from sugar industry, biotechnology and tourism were also selected to
provide a boost to the economy.

 Castro and Chavez developed economic ties, which solidified Cuba’s economy.

 On July 31, 2006, Castro transferred all his powers to Raul, his brother, on account of his
failing health. However, with time, his health recovered and he took part in the important
issues of the government.

Awards & Achievements

 He became the first foreigner to receive the Order of Lenin - he was honoured with this three
times.

 His effort against racism won him South Africa’s highest civilian award for foreigners - the
Order of Good Hope.

 Additionally, he was honoured and praised by many governments around the world,
including Czechoslovakia, Bulgaria, Vietnam, Spain, Mexico, Ukraine, Venezuela, Malaysia
etc.

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

Biography & Path

 Was born in November 10, 1951 in Arroyo Cano, San Juan Province in the southwest of
Dominican Republic and is the oldest among his 8 brothers born of Juan Pablo Medina and
Amelia Sanchez. He is the 53rd president of the Dominican Republic.
 Since he was 18 years old he was a student leader, founding the San Juan de la Maguana
branch of the Frente Revolucionario Estudiantil Nacionalista at the UASD.

 In 1990, Medina was elected member of the Political Committee of the Dominican Liberation
Party(PLD) together with Leonel Fernandez and Juan Temistocles Montas. He was selected
by his political organization to be the President of the Chamber of Deputies in the
Dominican Republic.

 Medina joined him. He studied economics at Instituto Tecnologico Santo Domingo (INTEC)
and graduated magna cum laude in 1984 and has been a member of the Central Committee
of the PLD since 1983. In 1986 election he was elected a deputy in Congress.

 He is the only Dominican President who descends from one of the Founding Fathers. He is
the descendant of Francisco del Rosario Sanchez, founding father of the Dominican Republic.

 He was President of the Chamber of Deputies of the Dominican Republic from 1994 to 1995
and subsequently served as Secretary of State of the Presidency from 1996 to 1999 and again
from 2004 to 2006.

 Still Alive & Kicking

Danilo Medina: Challenges & Achievements

Challenges: Leaning Curve

 The Dominican Republic is experiencing an authentic educational revolution. For a long

time quality education has been a privilege that only those with purchasing power could
afford.

 After meeting the promise to allocate 4% of GDP to education, they called on society as a
whole to participate in a broad Education Pact, to make everyone a stakeholder in ensuring
that the budget allocation, penny by penny, funds the kind of quality education the country
needs.

 They have made progress in the construction of more than 10,000 classrooms, dining rooms
and their corresponding kitchens. In addition, to ensure that all students are well fed with
nutritious food, they also doubled the budget for the procurement of these foods from local
producers.

Challenges:
Healthy Prospects

 Another area that is also essential in breaking the barriers of inequality and exclusion is
public health.

 Families with fewer resources remain at the mercy of their fate or charity when an illness or
accident brings tragedy home.

 To ensure free and universal access to health services, as an inalienable right for all
Dominicans, they committed to developing a single network of Public Health Services, to
 extending social security services to all, and to improving facilities and services under the
subsidized health regime.

Challenges: Youthful Outlook

 The case of Young Community, a struggle against illiteracy, and pursuant of job placement,
widespread participation, and public policy processes.

 In 2014, the Ministry of Youth has made significant progress in the formation of the National
Youth System, which already brings together 25,000 young people in 70 municipalities
nationwide.

 The government has proposed that no-one be left behind. This is the government by all, with
all, and for all.

 Medina struggled to find a path between negative public attitudes about illegal resident
Haitians, the ongoing need for Haitian labor, and the rights of Haitians born in the Dominican
Republic.

 Reasons are:

 - A 2013 court ruling took away the citizenship of the Dominican-born children of Haitians
(who began immigrating to the more-prosperous Dominican Republic in 1930).

 - In 2014, responding to international criticism, the government began allowing illegal

residents to apply for legal residency permits, and Haitian-born immigrants who had been
in the country since before 2011 were also eligible to apply.

 - In June 2015, however, despite reassurances from Medina’s government, there was
widespread fear of mass deportations as the deadline for residency application approached.
Between the passing of the deadline and January 2016, some 70,000 individuals fled the
country, and another 14,000 were officially deported.

Contribution

 President Danilo Medina and his administration continue to strive for economic growth and
political stability, while keeping a firm eye on building infrastructure and developing the
country. He’s contribution includes:

 *lowering absolute poverty in their country

 *eradicating illiteracy; reducing inequality among people and regions

 *introducing a new model of development based on more opportunities, more innovation,

less bureaucracy and more environmental protection

 *improving their education, health and public safety; building a freer, fairer and more
modern and independent country, with true democracy, strong institutions, human rights
and absolute freedom of expression; and establishing an ethical and transparent country, a
meritocracy, and unrelentingly fight against all forms of impunity.
 Has currently entered a social pact to fight poverty to create decent jobs and maintain an
average GDP growth of 4.5%. This resulted in economic boom which means the GDP grew
by 7% in both 2014 and 2015 and made Medina extremely popular during the years.

Michelle Bachelet

CHILE

Biography

Childhood

 born in Santiago on September 29th, 1951

 daughter of Alberto Bachelet, a General in the Chilean Air Force, and anthropologist
Ángela Jeria

 a mother to Sebastián, Francisca and Sofia

 lived with her parents in Quintero, Antofogasta, the commune El Bosque in Santiago
and the United States

Political Achievements

 Public Service

 was a consultant for the Pan-American Health Organization (OPS)

 worked in the Ministry of Health

 In 1996, she specialized in topics related to National Defense, completing two courses
on military strategy and continental defense

 Health Minister

 In March of 2000, Michelle Bachelet became the Health Minister in Ricardo Lagos
Escobar’s government

 presented the first legal proposal for the Reform of Health Care Workers’ Rights and
Responsibilities

 Defense Minister

 In 2002, she became the Defense Minister, making her the first woman to hold this
position in Chile and Latin America

 important changes were made to the Compulsory Military Service

 the role of the Ministry and the Military Staff was strengthened
 rights for women in the Armed Forces, Police and Investigatory Police were improved
and;

 more Chilean peacekeeping forces were deployed across the world

 President of Chile

 In March of 2006, Bachelet became the first female President of the Republic

 In 2010, she created the FundaciónDialoga (Dialog Foundation)

 International Leadership

 In 2010 she became the President of the Social Protection Floor Advisory Group

 Under her leadership in 2011, the Council published a report titled “Social Protection
Floor for a Fair and Inclusive Globalization,” which currently serves as a guide for the
United Nations in this material

 UN women

 On September 14th, 2011, United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon named
Michelle Bachelet the first Director of the recently created UN Women agency

 Return and presidential candidacy

 On March 27th, 2013, Michelle Bachelet returned to Chile and publicly shared her
decision to once again become a Presidential candidate

Contributions to State Formation, Democracy and Nationalism

 Social Security Reform

 This Reform is a fundamental part of the Social Protection system that strives to
protect the elderly and disabled, as well as to improve conditions for those Chileans
living in vulnerable situations

 Health

 during Michelle Bachelet’s term as president, more money was invested into
healthcare than during any other government

 Housing Policy

 The program ‘I Love My Neighborhood’ was a participative intervention initiative

whose aim was improving the most vulnerable and deteriorated neighborhoods in
Chile

 State Modernization: More Transparency

 President Bachelet’s Government spearheaded the largest push towards State

management transparency in Chilean legislative history with the enactment of the
Transparency and Access to Public Information Law
 Human Rights

 The National Human Rights Institute was created with the goal of promoting and
protecting Chileans’ Human Rights, removing all types of discrimination

 Culture

 Michelle Bachelet’s government brought various forms of culture closer to almost

every area in Chile,

 In terms of cultural infrastructure, the Gabriela Mistral Cultural Center (GAM) was
built in commemoration of the National Bicentennial.

 The Cultural Department planned for the construction and completion of cultural
centers in 25 municipalities in Chile

EVO MORALES

BIOGRAPHY: CHILDHOOD AND EARLY LIFE

 Juan Evo Morales Ayma was born on October26, 1959 in

 Isallawi, Bolivia

 Both of his parents were ethnic Aymara natives who worked as subsistence farmers in
Orinoca Canton

 Evo's father, Dionisio Morales Choque, and his mother, Maria Ayma, had seven children but
only three survived past childhood: Evo, his sister Esther and his brother Hugo

 As a child, his favorite past-time was soccer

 Although his family spoke the Aymara language at home, he quickly learned Spanish while
attending elementary school in Argentina

 He completed his high school studies in Orinoco, Bolivia

 A year later, his parents sent him to study in Ororu and he graduated in 1977

 Morales is currently single and has never been married

 He has two children from different relationships, son Alvaro Morales Paredes and daughter
Eva Liz Morales Alvarado

POLITICAL ACHIEVEMENTS

 In 1977, after graduation he moved to Chapare Province to begin his mandatory service in
the military

 In 1982, he was promoted to General Secretary of his region's union syndicate

 A year later, Morales and other coca growers were offered $2,500 by the United States
government for eachacre of coca that they eradicated but Morales refused
 In 1994, he was arrested by the Bolivian government and brutally beaten while in custody.
The next day, thousands of his supporters marched on the jail and he was released soon
afterwards. However in 1995, he was arrested again and charged with fomenting a coup

 In the 1997 elections, he was elected to represent the El Chapare region in the ‘National
Congress’

 In 2001, Jorge Quiroga succeeded to the presidency of Bolivia. The United States pressured
Quiroga to have Morales expelled from Congress

 After 140 deputies voted against him, Morales was expelled from the Congress in 2002 for
allegedly having used inflammatory language that led to the death of two police officers in a
shootout in his home region

 In late 2005, he defeated Jorge Quiroga in the presidential election. Assuming office the
following year, he radically re-organized the government, increasing taxation on gas
extraction and building large scale programs to combat illiteracy, sexism, poverty and
racism

 In 2009, UNESCO declared that Bolivia was freed of illiteracy. The same year, he was
re-elected as president of Bolivia

 In 2014, Morales was elected to a third term as president of Bolivia

CONTRIBUTIONS TO STATE
FORMATION, DEMOCRACY AND
NATIONALISM

 His campaign focused on issues affecting indigenous and poor

 communities, advocating land reform and the redistribution of gas wealth

 He gained increased visibility through the Cochabamba protests

 and gas conflict

 Once elected in 2005, Morales increased taxation on the hydrocarbon industry to bolster
social spending, emphasising projects to combat illiteracy, poverty, racism, and sexism

 Vocally criticizing neoliberalism and reducing Bolivia's dependence on

 the World Bank and International Monetary Fund, his administration oversaw strong
economic growth while following a policy termed "Evonomics" which sought to move from
a liberal economic approach to a mixed economy.

 Scaling back U.S. influence in the country, he built relationships with leftist governments in
the Latin American pink tide and signed Bolivia into the Bolivarian Alliance for the Americas

 Attempting to moderate the left-indigenous activist community, his administration also

opposed the right-wing autonomist demands of Bolivia's eastern provinces

 Winning a recall referendum in 2008, he instituted a new constitution that established Bolivia
as a plurinational state and was re-elected in 2009
 His second term witnessed the continuation of leftist policies and Bolivia's joining of
the Bank of the South and Community of Latin American and Caribbean States

 Morales has been praised for significantly reducing poverty and illiteracy in Bolivia and has
been internationally decorated with various awards

 His supporters have lauded him as a champion of indigenous

 rights, anti-imperialism, and environmentalism

 For these communities, who have widely felt marginalized in Bolivian politics for decades,
Morales "invokes a sense of dignity and destiny" in a way that no other contemporary
politician has done

 He has received the support of many democratic socialists and social democrats, as well as
sectors of Bolivia's liberal movement, who have been critical of Morales but favoured him
over the right-wing opposition

 His most vociferous critics have been from Bolivia's conservative movement, although he has
also received criticism from the country's far left, who believe his reformist policies have
been insufficiently radical or socialist

 Critics, particularly in the U.S. government, have varyingly termed him "a left-wing radical,
a partner of narco-traffickers and a terrorist“

 His regime has also faced many of the same complaints directed at previous Bolivian
administrations, revolving around such issues as "concentration of power, corruption,
incompetent bureaucracies, and disrespect for civil liberties"