The Bolivian Senate on Thursday approved a bill requesting that a referendum be held within 90 days on the mandates of President Evo Morales, Vice President Alvaro Garcia and nine provincial governors, according to news reaching here.
Morales and Garcia's terms formally end in January 2011, but they could be forced to step down if over 50 percent of voters reject them in the referendum.
The tenure of the nine governors will also be subject to the vote.
The Senate will announce the date for the referendum if Morales does not overrule the decision within 10 days.
To remain in power President Morales and nine state governors will be required to win more votes and a greater percentage of support than they did on a 2005 ballot. Morales won the presidency with 53.7 percent of the vote in December 2005.
If they fall short in the referendum, the president "will immediately call a general election for a new constitutional period, to be held within 90-180 days after the National Electoral Court posts its official count," said the bill.
The senators' decision annoyed Morales' Movement Towards Socialism, although Morales himself had sent a draft of the revocation proposal to the congress in January, as a means of solving the political crisis in the country amid disputes with several provinces.
"The law to revoke mandates was made in January, but in a different political setting. Now we require a national dialogue to overcome this conflict," Vice President Garca said following the Senate's decision.
The government of Morales said the Senate's initiative is one more obstacle to dialogue to overcome the political differences in the country.
The Senate assumes attitudes contradicting the efforts made by many parties to find a way to dialogue, presidential spokesman Ivan Canelas said.
"They are only trying to waste time and block the road," he said.
Source:Xinhua
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