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Bolivia’s parliament approves bill on snap presidential election

Now the document will be sent to interim president Jeanine Anez for signature

RIO DE JANEIRO, November 24. /TASS/. The Bolivian parliament’s Chamber of Deputies has voted in favor of holding new general elections, the lower house said in a Twitter post.

"The Chamber of Deputies unanimously voted to approve the bill on a special and transitional period for holding general elections," the tweet reads.

The document was earlier approved by Bolivia’s Senate. Now it will be sent to interim president Jeanine Anez for signature.

The bill says that new judges of Bolivia’s Supreme Electoral Tribunal and regional commissions are to be appointed and the election should be held as soon as possible.

The presidential election in Bolivia was held on October 20. According to the Supreme Electoral Tribunal, Evo Morales who was the head of state at that time won in the first round. His main competitor, Carlos Mesa, said that he does not recognize Morales' victory in the first round. After the outcome of election was announced, large-scale protests and strikes erupted across the country. The country’s armed forces, opposition and labor unions urged Morales to step down.

On November 10, Morales announced his resignation describing the situation in the country as a coup. Vice President Alvaro Garcia Linera, several ministers and parliament members resigned as well.

The Mexican authorities granted political asylum to Morales. Morales arrived in Mexico on November 12. Later on that day, Bolivian Senator Jeanine Anez declared herself as interim president.