Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com).
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Morales Posed to Win Bolivian Presidency
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http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=103CBC6:3919ACA Evo Morales'
rivals have conceded defeat





Bolivian indigenous leader and presidential candidate Evo
MoralesSocialist Bolivian presidential candidate Evo Morales appears
to have won 50 percent of the vote in Sunday's election.

Mr. Morales' rivals, including conservative Jorge Quiroga, have
already conceded defeat. 

Mr. Morales spoke before a large crowd of cheering supporters in the
town of Cochabamba, his political stronghold, saying a new history of
Bolivia has begun.

The first official returns are expected later Monday.  If Mr. Morales
fails to win half the vote, Bolivia's Congress will choose the next
president from the top two finishers.

Morales, 46, has vowed to reverse the U.S.-backed campaign to
eradicate coca, the main ingredient in cocaine, but also used by
Bolivia's Indians as a traditional medicine.  Mr. Morales also wants
to increase government control over Bolivia's natural gas resources.

Some information for this story provided by Reuters and AP.


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