Until last Christmas, Bolivia's Evo Mo-rales seemed to be the strongest and most successful of Latin America's far-left presidents. His status as his country's first elected leader of indigenous descent, combined with a policy of funnelling the proceeds of higher taxes on the oil and gas industry to the poor majority in highland Bolivia, brought him enduring popularity. Having outwitted the opposition, centred in the eastern lowlands, he easily won a second term in 2009 with 64% of the vote.
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