The Bolivian Congress on Thursday afternoon dismissed the request of President Carlos Mesa to call early general elections on Aug. 28, said reports from La Paz, the administrative capital of the country.

The decision was made by a majority of legislators. They asked Mesa to remain in office till August 2007, the end of his tenure.

Facing mounting opposition strikes against his policies, the embattled Mesa submitted the request for early elections to Congress on Wednesday. The next elections have previously been scheduled for June 2007.

Source: Xinhua