LA PAZ, Aug. 6 (Xinhua) -- Bolivian President Evo Morales stressed on Monday that national unity has played a vital part in creating a more prosperous country.

"Thanks to the unity of the Bolivian people, we have now built a new Bolivia ... When the people are united, nothing is impossible for the people. That has been our experience," Morales told lawmakers in the southwest mining town of Potosi during a speech marking Independence Day.

The event took place amid political tensions between legislators aligned with the ruling party and opponents of the government who don't want Morales to run for re-election, as he plans to do in 2019.

Opposition lawmakers occasionally shouted "Bolivia said No!", referring to voters' objection shown in a referendum on the re-election last year, which the government said was manipulated.

Their interjections were met with chants of "Evo, Evo, Evo!" from the president's supporters.

Morales noted that he has run a transparent government, and none of his aides have been implicated in corruption.

"If there are (political) differences (in the future), let's hope they are circumstantial, because in the end the country unites us," said Morales.

After 12 years in power, Bolivia's first indigenous president remains popular for steering the country toward development, mainly by wresting control of its energy and other natural resources away from multinational firms.