In Bolivia, a vocal opponent of President Evo Morales has announced he’s stepping down after initially vowing to defy a referendum ousting him from office. Cochabamba Governor Manfred Reyes was among three governors to lose the recall vote. He initially said he’d stay in office. But on Tuesday, Reyes reversed course and said he’ll resign.

Manfred Reyes: “What I least want is for somebody to take advantage of the image of Manfred to bring about a confrontation between members of Cochabamba residents. That’s why today I am letting the secretary general of the prefecture to continue this work while I conduct the pertinent legal affairs and while I show that the decree of the electoral court was harmful to justice in Bolivia.”

Another Morales opponent, La Paz governor Jose Luis Paredes also says he will resign after losing his recall vote. More than 63 percent voted to back Morales’s government, nearly ten points more than the 54 percent that elected him in December 2005.