MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Zero corruption, zero bureaucracy Pte. Morales said to his new Cabinet

Bolivia's new president, Evo Morales, has named union leaders and fellow Indians to his first cabinet with a mission to eradicate corruption and end neo-liberal policies.

Mr Morales unveiled his "cabinet of change" at Quemado Palace one day after his triumphant inauguration during which he vowed to end centuries of injustice that he said have been inflicted on the Bolivian Indian community.

"Politics is the science of serving the people, not living off the people," Mr Morales said in the cabinet unveiling ceremony, in which he wore his trademark red sweater with white and blue stripes, continuing his refusal to wear suits.

He told his new ministers: "I ask you personally, in the name of the people: zero corruption, zero bureaucracy. We have the task of dignifying politics."

Mr Morales said his government's job was to fulfill "the people's mandate to change the neo-liberal model and democratically fix the structural and social problems."

His 16-minister cabinet has a large number of indigenous ministers as well as more women in influential positions.

David Choquehuanca, an Aymara Indian, like Mr Morales, who has worked with international agencies, was named Foreign Minister.

During the ceremony, Mr Choquehuanca spoke in a native Andean language to proclaim that a great new day had arrived for Bolivia's Indians, who make up more than 60 percent of the population.

Mr Morales also broke the mold by picking the head of the domestic workers' union, Casimira Rodriguez, a Quechua Indian, as Justice Minister.

Alicia Muñoz, an anthropologist and former senator, became the first woman Interior Minister.

Andres Soliz Rada, a leftist attorney and journalist, was put in charge of the sensitive energy ministry and will have the delicate task of dealing with foreign oil companies.

A radical union leader Abel Mamani, another Aymara, was put in charge of the Water Ministry of this landlocked country, the poorest of South America.

Evo Morales also agreed a series of accords with Hugo Chavez, the Venezuelan leader, and appointing a cabinet of radical activists.

At a ceremony in the presidential palace, Mr Morales, wearing his trademark striped sweater, and Mr Chavez hailed the co-operation agreements ? on hydrocarbons, agriculture, education, health and mutual political support ? as central to strengthening ties between the Andean countries.

Mr Morales highlighted the Venezuelan pledge to donate 200,000 barrels of diesel to Bolivia to ease its petrol shortage and its commitment to help South America's poorest country.

Mr Chavez said he was prepared to share his experiences ? "the mistakes we have made as well as our successes". He hailed the alliance between the two countries as one "opposed to neo-liberalism and capitalism" and offered technical expertise from PDVSA, the Venezuelan state energy company, to help nationalise Bolivia's gas sector.