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Social organization seeks new referendum in Bolivia on Morales' re-election

Xinhua, May 24, 2016 Adjust font size:

A social organization in Bolivia has started collecting signatures over the weekend to drive through a new referendum by citizens to allow the country's current President Evo Morales to run for re-election.

The drive was initiated by the Bartolina Sisa National Confederation of Campesino, Indigenous and Native Women of Bolivia (CNMCIOB-BS), said the confederation's leader Natividad Sanchez on Monday.

Sanchez told local media in the central city of Cochabamba that they will make their intentions known to all social organizations, so that the signature collection can be carried out at national level.

After a failure in a referendum held in February to amend the constitution, President Morales can no longer stand for the presidential race in the 2019 elections due to constitutional regulations.

However, several organizations linked to the ruling party Movement for Socialism have raised the issue of convening another referendum at different times to modify the constitution and allow Morales to run again.

Communication Minister Marianela Paco said last week that if social organizations and the people ask for it, a new referendum could be held.

Morales first became president on Jan. 22, 2006, and was re-elected for a new term from 2010 to 2015. In October 2014, he was re-elected again for the 2015-2020 term.

According to Bolivia's current constitution, in force since February 2009, a presidential candidate is allowed to run for only one more term. Endi