The controversy revolved around a decision by the government of President Evo Morales, Bolivia's first indigenous president, not to include "mestizo" as a category.
It might not have been an issue – "mestizo" never appeared as an option on previous censuses – had not Bolivians been given the option Wednesday of declaring themselves members of one of 40 ethnic groups, including Afro-Bolivians.
Critics of Morales say he is afraid people would check "mestizo," or mixed-race, so as not to identify themselves with a particular indigenous group, thus delegitimizing the government.
