[JURIST] The Bolivian Legislative Assembly on Saturday approved a bill to amend the constitution to extend presidential terms. The amendment will allow current President Evo Morales to run for a fourth consecutive term in office. The bill, which was approved [JURIST report] by constitutional committee lawmakers on Tuesday, was passed Saturday after a 20-hour session with the required two-thirds majority. A national referendum must still be held in order for the bill to be ratified

Morales is the first indigenous president to be elected in Bolivia and has worked towards [JURIST report] promoting justice for the indigenous Bolivian population. The Bolivian top electoral court confirmed [JURIST report] his reelection last October. In May 2013 Bolivian Vice President Alvaro Garcia Linera signed into law [JURIST report] a constitutional amendment that allowed Morales to run for third term, though the Bolivian Constitution only allows a president to serve two terms. In June 2010 the Bolivian National Congress approved [JURIST report] legislation that would create an independent justice system for indigenous communities. In March 2009 Morales began redistributing land [JURIST report] to indigenous farmers under power given to him by the country’s new constitution. Bolivia’s new constitution [JURIST report] went into effect in February 2009, placing more power in the hands of the country’s majority. It also created seats in Congress for minority indigenous groups.