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Bolivian President Evo Morales 'loses fourth term bid' Bolivian President Evo Morales 'loses' fourth term bid'
(35 minutes later)
President Evo Morales of Bolivia has narrowly lost a referendum to allow him to stand for a fourth term in office, exit polls suggest.President Evo Morales of Bolivia has narrowly lost a referendum to allow him to stand for a fourth term in office, exit polls suggest.
One poll suggests 52.3% voted against the proposal to amend the constitution, while another suggests it was 51%.One poll suggests 52.3% voted against the proposal to amend the constitution, while another suggests it was 51%.
The change would have allowed Mr Morales to remain in power until 2025. He called the vote saying he needed more time to implement reforms. The change would have let Mr Morales, who says he needs more time for reforms, remain in power until 2025.
The opposition says the move would be undemocratic. Opposition supporters have been celebrating the referendum result in parts of the main city, La Paz
Mr Morales, an indigenous Aymara and former coca leaf producer, took office in January 2006.Mr Morales, an indigenous Aymara and former coca leaf producer, took office in January 2006.
The president's current term ends in 2020 but he would be able to run again in 2019 for a new six-year term if Sunday's referendum was approved. The president's current term ends in 2020.
His approval ratings remain high in Bolivia, where the economy has grown on average 5% a year since he took office. He is still a popular leader, in part because he is Bolivia's first head of state of indigenous origin, and the economy has grown steadily over the past decade, the BBC's Americas Editor, Leonardo Rocha, reports.
But many thought Evo Morales should not be allowed to serve 19 consecutive years as president, our editor adds.
Appeal for cautionAppeal for caution
Vice-President Alvaro Garcia Linera urged people to wait for the official results.Vice-President Alvaro Garcia Linera urged people to wait for the official results.
"Opinion polls, especially exit polls, make mistakes," he told reporters."Opinion polls, especially exit polls, make mistakes," he told reporters.
"They don't take into account the vote abroad. They don't go to the more remote locations, where there is more support for our socialist movement."They don't take into account the vote abroad. They don't go to the more remote locations, where there is more support for our socialist movement.
"It's highly likely that the numbers shown by the opinion polls will be very different from the reality.""It's highly likely that the numbers shown by the opinion polls will be very different from the reality."
Vote counting has been slower than usual.Vote counting has been slower than usual.
The electoral authorities say the delay is affecting mostly ballots from rural areas, which largely support the president.The electoral authorities say the delay is affecting mostly ballots from rural areas, which largely support the president.
In the eastern province of Santa Cruz, angry voters set fire to ballot papers and ballot boxes after a delay to the opening of several polling stations.In the eastern province of Santa Cruz, angry voters set fire to ballot papers and ballot boxes after a delay to the opening of several polling stations.