(MENAFN- Qatar News Agency) La Paz Bolivia February 24 (QNA) - Bolivian President Evo Morales lost the referendum on whether he could change the constitution to remain in power for a fourth term the Latin American country's electoral commission said.

The commission said 99.5% of votes cast had been counted and 'No' beat 'Yes' by 51.3% to 48.7% a margin of just over 150000 votes and added the remaining votes to be counted would not affect the result.

The outcome also blocks Vice-President Alvaro Garcia from running again.Morales who is currently on his third term and became Bolivia's first indigenous president in 2006 had tried to persuade Bolivians that he should be allowed to run for office again in 2019. (QNA)