BOLIVIAN President Luis Arce has announced national referendums on the removal of fuel subsidies and the constitutionality of presidential re-elections.

Mr Arce did not give a date for the votes during a speech on Tuesday in the southern city of Sucre, Bolivia’s historical capital, as the country marked the 199th anniversary of its independence.

He defended the referendum proposal as a way to dispel some of the uncertainty that Bolivians have endured for months, promising that the gesture was not about “electoral calculations or personal ambitions.”

The president said: “It’s time for the people, together with their government, to choose the path we wish to follow in view of the bicentennial.”

The proposal for a public vote on the elimination of fuel subsidies comes as incensed lorry drivers and other protesters have blockaded roads leading to Bolivian cities in recent weeks over a scarcity of diesel, more than 80 per cent of which is imported.

Mr Arce also announced a referendum on whether and how former presidents may seek re-election, in an apparent attempt to resolve a dispute with his predecessor Evo Morales.

An erstwhile mentor and ally of Mr Arce, Mr Morales has declared his intent to stand against him in next year’s election, which the president insists would be unconstitutional.

“To ensure that political actors do not once again affect the stability and economy of Bolivian families, it’s important to clarify the nature of re-election,” Mr Arce said, without giving further details about the public vote.

It is not clear whether the referendum will involve a change to the constitution before next year’s elections.