Bolivian leader says no 'political negotiation' with challenger

Bolivia leader Evo Morales has vowed that there would be no "political negotiation" following the country's presidential election whose disputed results have triggered violent protests across the country.

Morales was declared the outright winner of the October 20 vote, after a sudden change in the ballot count extended his margin of victory over challenger Carlos Mesa beyond the 10 percentage points needed to avoid a run-off.

Mesa, a former president who is backed by a collective of centrist and right-wing parties, said on Saturday that he "rejected and ignored the closure of the national count of the general elections... because it is the result of fraud and a breach of the popular will." Morales shot back defiantly later in the day.

"I want to tell you: Here there is no political negotiation. Here the Constitution is respected, as is the party that won the last national election. I want the Bolivian right wing to know that," the leftist leader said during a speech in Cochabamba in ..