ASUNCION, Paraguay (AP) — Paraguay's Chamber of Deputies on Wednesday rejected a proposed constitutional amendment allowing for presidential re-election, voting nearly four weeks after a secret Senate ballot to approve the measure set off riots in which protesters burned furniture in Congress.

A governing party official said the lower house of Congress voted 78 against the amendment, with one abstention.

Allowing re-election of presidents is divisive in Paraguay, where memories remain strong of a 35-year military dictatorship that ended only in 1989. A large crowd celebrated outside congress after Wednesday's vote.

The initiative was initially seen as aimed at helping President Horacio Cartes stay in power. But Cartes announced nearly two weeks ago that he would not be a candidate in the 2018 election even if congress approved the amendment.