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Bolivia's Morales Claims Victory, 3rd Term

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Bolivian President Evo Morales has declared victory in his bid for a third term in office.

Exit polls showed Morales winning about 60 percent of Sunday's vote. His closest challenger, businessman Samuel Doria Medina, had 24 percent.

But the ruling Movement Toward Socialism party appears to have failed to retain the two-thirds control of Congress needed to push through its agenda.

Speaking late Sunday in La Paz, the president said the vote is a victory for his model of governing.

"This win is a triumph for anti-imperialists and anti-colonialists," said Morales.

Morales has led Bolivia since 2006 with a left-wing economic policy and nationalist rhetoric. Despite averaging five-percent growth each year under the Morales' government, Bolivia remains one of the poorest countries in South America.

Official results are expected later Monday.

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