Much of the criticism has centered on Morales' unconventional picks to fill his cabinet, made up largely of union leaders and human-rights activists. Many call the new ministers unprepared for their positions or too closely aligned with special interests.
Morales also has rattled Bolivia's powerful armed forces by breaking with tradition and passing over 28 generals when he picked new top military leaders. One of the overlooked leaders, Gen. Marco Antonio Vasquez, and his wife and daughter disrupted the swearing-in of the new military leaders on Tuesday by shouting and shoving until they were hauled from the presidential palace.
Some discord was to be expected. Morales, an Aymara Indian, had promised during his campaign to disrupt the status quo, which he said had amounted to 500 years of oppression for Bolivia's indigenous people, who account for 60 percent of this Andean country's population.
Daniel Castro, a spokesman for the Pro Santa Cruz Committee, which represents the country's wealthiest and least indigenous province, complained that only two members of Morales' 16-person cabinet hailed from Santa Cruz, although the province has a quarter of the country's population and generates a third of its gross domestic product.
"The sense I get of this new cabinet is it's one of the unions, more than of the country," Castro said. "This president hasn't realized he needs to have a vision of more than just one political group or one sector."
More surprising is the sniping from Morales' political base of peasants and activists, including militant leaders who fought beside him in street protests opposing foreign control of Bolivian gas and water.
Mining union leaders who have long been allied with Morales denounced his choice of Walter Villarroel to run the country's mining ministry. Why? Because Villarroel has headed mining cooperatives, groups of miners who operate their own mines. The unions said the new minister would be biased against the privately owned and state-controlled mines where the majority of the country's miners work.
In El Alto, the 650,000-person slum that abuts the capital of La Paz, there is fierce criticism of Morales' choice of activist Abel Mamani to head the newly created water ministry. At first blush, the selection would seem to be one that would please El Alto - Mamani was the president of the El Alto residents association and led many of the protests that helped oust previous presidents.
But community leaders were unhappy that Morales did not consult with them before he named Mamani. Teresa Callesaya de Gutierrez, the association's secretary, accused Morales' Movement Toward Socialism party of bribing association leaders for support, though she grudgingly acknowledged that she didn't question Mamani's qualifications.
"We want a change, but if it's going to be through maneuvers like this, we are not going to permit it," Gutierrez said.
The country's top lawyers association quickly denounced Morales' pick for justice minister, Casimira Rodriguez. Rodriguez previously led the Latin American Confederation of Domestic Workers and has no legal background.
At the top of Bolivia's agenda this year will be revamping the country's laws and rewriting its constitution, scheduled to start in August.
"This is a technical ministry that should be led by a lawyer," said Juan Guachalla, vice president of the College of Lawyers of La Paz. "There is serious doubt whether she will be able to fulfill her duties."
Rodriguez defended her appointment, saying a law degree was not a prerequisite to understanding the need for social justice.
"In our Andean culture, we have our authorities and our laws practiced very collectively, and in this sense to administer justice you don't always need to be a lawyer," she said.
Perhaps the most delicate course Morales must travel is with Bolivia's armed forces, which routinely overthrew governments until civilian leadership was restored in 1982. By passing over the 28 generals, Morales ended their careers and violated military guidelines regarding promotions.
The displeasure over Morales' selections boiled over during the swearing-in of the new military heads. As a Morales aide was reading the names of the new leaders, Vasquez's wife and daughter began shouting, "Unjust, unjust." Then, Vasquez, who would have been in line to become commander of the army, rushed toward the stage where Morales was seated.
Security guards intercepted him, then dragged the three from the auditorium. All were released without charges. Morales stoically ignored the commotion.
Contact reporter Jack Chang at jchang@krwashington.com.
