US Senator Bob Menendez calls for “punitive measures” against Chad’s leaders while ECCAS holds meeting on transition

Bob Menendez - Twitter

Are sanctions ahead for Chad’s leaders?

US Senator Bob Menendez, as the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, has condemned Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno’s failure to hold elections this year. In a tweet yesterday, the Senator said that the “coup leader” had “stomped on Chadian hopes for democracy.” He called for punitive measures to punish the “blatant disregard for democratic principles.”

But sanctions could come from a different direction as well. The current president of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), Félix Antoine Tshisekedi, called for a meeting of the heads of state to discuss the issue of the transition in Chad on October 22nd. This meeting is scheduled just after the 18 month transition would officially end. Many opposition leaders have predicted dire consequences if the 18 month period is exceeded, and several have called for massive protests starting on October 20th.

George Adams

George Adams is a journalist and editor at Heartbeat Africa News. If you have breaking news, let him know at GeorgeAdams@heartbeatafrica.news

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