Bolivia's Morales vows second-round vote if fraud found in election, threatens siege of cities

FILE PHOTO: Bolivia's President Evo Morales speaks during a news conference at the presidential palace La Casa Grande del Pueblo in La Paz, Bolivia, October 24, 2019. REUTERS/David Mercado

LA PAZ (Reuters) - Bolivian President Evo Morales on Saturday vowed to hold a run-off election if fraud is found in a vote count that gave him an outright win, but warned his rural base would siege cities if they keep protesting his disputed re-election to a fourth term.

Morales has faced nearly a week of street demonstrations in major cities and growing international pressure to call a run-off vote with his closest rival Carlos Mesa in order to restore credibility to an election dogged by allegations of vote-rigging lobbed by the opposition.