La Paz, Bolivia ? Peasant leader Evo Morales, who has harshly criticized U.S. policies in Latin America, won a major victory Sunday in the race for this fractured country’s presidency, adding to a rising wave of leftist governments in the region.

According to a survey of 1,250 polling places conducted by a group of Bolivian media, Morales had won 51 percent of the vote, with former President Jorge “Tuto” Quiroga coming in second with 30 percent.

Businessman Samuel Doria Medina won 8 percent of the vote.

Quiroga conceded defeat.

Morales, a 46-year-old Aymara Indian who will be Bolivia’s first indigenous president, has made international headlines with his bold attacks on Washington-backed policies such as free trade agreements and the eradication of coca leaf, the main ingredient in cocaine.

He has vowed to torpedo U.S. anti-drug efforts here and to be a “nightmare” for Washington

Despite the strong showing, Morales may encounter difficulty implementing his policies because his Movement Toward Socialism party failed to win control over the Congress, according to the media poll.