muddying the waters
On 20 October, the State Department expressed its regret over the results of the decisions made within Chad to authorise Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno to formally vie for the presidency.
The General: Man in charge
According to our sources, the transitional president of Chad, General Déby, took advantage of his visit to the US capital to allay fears about Chad’s stability while making allies within Congress. This mission was entrusted to his half-brother, Abdelkerim Idriss Déby Itno, a graduate of West Point in the US and the head of the National Agency for Investments and Exports.
While in DC, General Déby made contact with Daniel Vajdich of Yorktown Solutions, a recent collaborator with several former Republican candidates, such as Ted Cruz and Mitt Romney, in the most recent general elections. Mr Vajdich, the president of the firm in question, had also worked on the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee, where he specialised in European affairs.
READ MORE US carves out its own strategy for Chad
The Menendez letter
With congressional contact established, Abdelkerim sought to organise a series of meetings with elected officials. Sources have informed us that the stated purpose of the meetings was to emphasise Chad’s important role in the fight against terrorism in the Sahel region. From that moment, an interview request was made.
Coup leader Deby's regime in #Chad stands accused of killing dozens of pro-democracy protesters & detaining hundreds more on October 20. The US & @_AfricanUnion must join in pressing for a credible investigation & justice for the Chadian people. My letter: https://t.co/LV0Fi9l0QB pic.twitter.com/gvkFAPakm1
— Senate Foreign Relations Committee (@SFRCdems) December 15, 2022
On 12 December, Senator Bob Menendez, the chairman of the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee, sent a letter to General Déby calling for an independent investigation following the 20 October demonstrations. He also asked General Déby not to vie in the next presidential election.
Nevertheless, General Déby’s contingent was not alone in DC these last few days — his opponent, Succès Masra, had also requested to meet with both Congress and the State Department, in order to discuss the Chadian transition of power and the repression of civil protests.
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