Jennifer McCoy, Distinguished University Professor of political science at Georgia State University, is available to discuss the impact of the re-election of Bolivian President Evo Morales and trends in Latin American politics.

McCoy is the director of the Americas Program at The Carter Center. She has performed extensive election monitoring in Latin America and the United States, along with mediation in political conflicts in Latin America.

McCoy specializes in democratic transitions and blacksliding, crisis prevention and conflict resolution, along with electoral processes including electronic voting and international election monitoring.

She explains:

"Evo Morales' reelection for a third term in Bolivia reinforces the Latin American trend of incumbents changing the constitution to allow for reelection, and then winning those elections," McCoy said. "In this case, Morales was seen as part of the Chávez-led group of Latin American countries on the left (ALBA), but he won based on his own style of leadership that does not emulate Venezuela's path.

"In a Cinderella-style story, Morales rose from leadership of the coca-growers union to eventually forge a compromise with the private sector and strong economic growth for a country that had been the poorest and most unstable in South America," she continued. "The first indigenous president in the continent, he provided benefits to the poor indigenous majority, while also rejecting U.S. pressure (and aid) to influence his counter-narcotics policy.

"His victory with more than 60% of the vote reflects both popular approval of his government's performance, as well as a fragmented political opposition," McCoy concluded.

Additionally she has provided expert testimony to the United States Congress and consulted with government and international organizations on U.S. policy toward Latin America.

To read some of McCoy's recent articles in international media, please visit http://www.scholarsstrategynetwork.org/scholar-profile/286.