Leftist coca farmer Evo Morales has been inaugurated as Bolivia's first indigenous president.
During his inaugural speech Sunday, Mr. Morales said Bolivia's 500 year-long campaign of indigenous resistance has not been in vain. Indigenous Bolivians who listened to the speech said they were hopeful he would bring change for the better.
The former congressman won a surprise majority in a single round of voting on December 18.
A number of heads of state were in the capital, La Paz, to witness Mr. Morales take the oath of office Sunday, including Chilean President Ricardo Lagos, Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez and U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Thomas Shannon, the Bush administration's top official for Latin America.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.
