LA PAZ, Jan. 22 (Xinhuanet) -- Evo Morales, new president of Bolivia,took office on Sunday. The following is a profile of the first indigenous president in Bolivia's history.

    Morales was born in 1959 in an indigenous family in Isallavi,Bolivia, and

    finished 11th grade in high school. He worked as a herdsman and afarmer in his early years and joined the military service at age of 16.

    Morales was executive secretary of Tropic Federation coca growers' union in 1988, executive secretary and president of Six Federations of the Cochabamba Tropics coca growers' union in 1996.He was elected to the congress in 1997.

    In 2002, he ran for the presidency representing the Movement Towards Socialism (MAS), currently the country's main political group. He finished closely behind conservative Gonzalo Sanchez deLozada, who became president.

    In October 2003, Morales was instrumental in leading massprotests that led to the resignation of former President Sanchezde Lozada in the so-called "gas wars."

    He won the presidential election of Bolivia with 53.7 percent of the vote on Dec. 18, 2005.

    Morales in his campaign promises to end neo-liberalism,legalize the cultivation of the coca leaf and nationalize the oiland gas industry. Enditem