A referendum in Ecuador on the return of foreign military bases to the Latin American country appears to be failing, with a partial vote count of more than a third of ballots showing 60 percent rejection of the proposal.

A separate proposal to convene an assembly to rewrite the constitution had 61 percent rejection on Sunday with 36 percent of votes counted.

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Losses would be a blow to President Daniel Noboa, who had backed both measures, saying foreign cooperation, including shared or foreign bases within the country, is central to fighting organised crime in the country.

He has also said that the current constitution, drafted under former leftist President Rafael Correa, must be revised to reflect the country’s new reality.

Ecuador banned foreign military bases on its soil in 2008.

A “Yes” vote would have likely seen the United States military return to the Manta airbase on the Pacific coast – once a hub for Washington’s anti-drug operations.