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Vice President Alvaro Garcia Linera said Bolivians abroad have widely voted “Yes” in this Sunday referendum to decide whether to amend the constitution and abolish the two-term limit for the head of state. If it’s approved, President Evo Morales will be able to seek re-election, for one more term, in the next elections scheduled for 2019.
RELATED: Bolivia Announces 6.5 Million Will Vote in Referendum
Embassies and consulates in Russia, China, Japan, Australia, the United States, Spain, Chile and Argentina reported a high voter turnout as more than 600,000 Bolivians living abroad are registered and eligibile to vote. Unlike in Bolivia where voting is obligatory, voting abroad is voluntary.
"#Referendo2016 officially started in Seoul, Tokyo and Beijing... Bolivians vote abroad #BoliviaDecide"
Inició oficialmente el #Referendo2016 en Seúl #CoraDelSur Beijing #China y Tokio #Japón Bolivianos votan en el exterior #BoliviaDecide
— Paola Peréz (@PaolateleSUR) February 21, 2016
Argentina, which has the largest population of Bolivians immigrants with almost two million, has reported that a total of 116,568 Bolivian nationals registered to vote. Other countries with large communities of Bolivians are Spain and the United States.
In Depth: Bolivia Referendum: Evo to Continue?
In the case of Argentina the number of voters and the number of residents is disproportionate because many remain undocumented or their stay in that country is transitional. However, thousands of them have been able to normalize their immigration status thanks to the Patria Grande Plan approved by former President Nestor Kirchner in 2006.
Many Bolivian immigrants in Argentina have suffered from discrimination and racist violence due to their Indigenous or Mestizo origin. The conservative president of Argentina, Mauricio Macri, has been an open opponent of the progressive pro-migration policies of his progressive predecessor, and has linked Bolivians with drug trafficking activities; during his presidential campaign he promised to restrict this laws.
In Depth: 10 Years of Evo Morales
If a majority of Bolivians vote Yes in Sunday’s referendum Morales will seek to remain president until 2025. He has already ruled Bolivia for 10 years. Under his administration the country has enjoyed political stability and its economy has also tripled in size.
Morales’ victory would signify a great gain for the leftist movements in the region that have suffered a blow after right-wing electoral gains in Venezuela and Argentina.
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