Morales made the move after accusing the United States of undermining his rule in Bolivia, and of encouraging his political opponents. The expulsion of the ambassador came only hours after an explosion disabled an important natural gas pipeline in Bolivia, cutting their gas exports by 10%.
Like his close friend President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela, Morales has been pushing what the US government has called a "socialist" agenda for Bolivia. Morales is the first person of indigenous ancestry to be elected president in Bolivia, and was a poor farmer before getting involved in politics. Not surprisingly, he has funneled revenue made from exporting natural gas to some of the poorest parts of Bolivia.
But this hasn't made him popular with all Bolivians. Earlier in the year, residents in Santa Cruz - Bolivia's richest province - voted for expanded autonomy over their affairs, particularly how their gas revenues were spent. The vote in Santa Cruz triggered similar votes in some of Bolivia's other wealthier provinces, something that has undermined Morales' rule.
The final straw seems to have come when the US ambassador to Bolivia, Philip Goldberg, met with the governor of Santa Cruz province, one of Morales' biggest political opponents. Morales has long accused the United States of encouraging elements within Bolivia to rise up against him, and of supporting Bolivia’s conservative political opposition. "Without fear of the empire [his term for the US], I declare the U.S. ambassador 'persona non grata,'" Morales said, "we don't want separatists, divisionists."
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