N'DJAMENA, Chad (AP) — Chad held its long delayed presidential election on Monday following three years of military rule under the interim president, Mahamat Deby Itno, a vote that analysts widely expected the incumbent to win.
Deby Itno seized power after his father, who spent three decades in power, was killed fighting rebels in 2021. His government announced it was extending the 18-month transition for two more years, which provoked protests across the country.
The oil-exporting country of nearly 18 million people hasn't had a free-and-fair transfer of power since it became independent in 1960 after decades of French colonial rule. There were 10 candidates on the ballot, including a woman. More than 8 million people are registered to vote, in a country of more than 17 million people, one of the poorest in the world.
Analysts say Deby Itno is likely to win the vote. A leading opposition figure, Yaya Dillo, the current president’s cousin, was killed in February in circumstances that remain unclear. The main other front-runner in the race is a former opposition leader who recently returned from exile to serve as prime minister in January, Succès Masra.
Chad is seen by the U.S. and France as one of the last remaining stable allies in the vast Sahel region following military coups in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger in recent years. The ruling juntas in all three nations have expelled French forces and turned to Russia’s mercenary units for security assistance instead.
Earlier this year, Niger’s junta ordered all U.S. troops out, meaning Washington will lose access to its key base in Agadez, the center of its counterterrorism operations in the region. The U.S. and France still have a military presence in Chad, which consider it to be an especially critical partner.
The West also fears that any instability in Chad, which has absorbed more than a half-million refugees from Sudan, could increase the number of migrants moving north towards Europe.
“These are all the reasons the West is staying relatively quiet about the democratic transition in Chad,” said Ulf Laessing, head of the Sahel program at the Konrad Adenauer Foundation. “Everybody just wants this vote to pass so Deby Itno gets elected so they continue to work with him and preserve the stability of the region," he added.
The vote, which began Sunday for the military and nomads, was marred by a number of incidents of violence that led to at least two deaths, according to local journalists. In Moundou, a major city to the south of the capital, a voter was shot dead by security forces for reasons that were unclear. In the country's eastern city of Abeche, a civilian fatally stabbed a soldier, also according to local journalists there.
Over the weekend, several civil society groups issued a joint statement to say that many of the 2,900 observers that had requested accreditation to monitor the vote had been denied.
Along with the arrival of refugees from Sudan, Chad is also dealing with high food prices partly caused by the war in Ukraine and a renewed threat from the Boko Haram insurgency spilling over from its southwestern border with Nigeria.
In March, an attack the government blamed on Boko Haram killed seven soldiers, reviving fears of violence in the Lake Chad area after a period of peace following a successful operation launched in 2020 by the Chadian army to destroy the extremist group’s bases there. Schools, mosques and churches reopened and humanitarian organizations returned.
“For years now, we’ve had to cope with the high cost of living, without any solution,” Adoumadji Jean, a teacher at a state secondary school in Moyen-Chari province, said in an interview with The Associated Press. “We want a change this year through this election.”
Boko Haram, which launched an insurgency more than a decade ago against Western education, seeks to establish Islamic law in Nigeria’s northeast. The insurgency has spread to West African neighbors including Cameroon, Niger and Chad.
Human rights groups have called for an investigation into the killing of Chad’s main opposition figure, Dillo. The government has said Dillo was killed during an attack on the the National State Security Agency by his group, known as The Socialist Party Without Borders. But a photo of Dillo showed that he was killed by a single bullet wound to the head.
Human Rights Watch said the killing raised serious concerns about the environment for the election.
According to the U.S.-based Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project, known as ACLED, Chad experienced almost 270 incidents of political violence, leading to the deaths of more than 1,000 people.
“With his most significant opponents either co-opted or eliminated, and critical electoral institutions stacked with his supporters, Déby Itno’s victory is all but certain,” wrote Michelle Gavin for the Council of Foreign Relations, a Washington- based think tank.
Votes will be first counted at polling stations, but preliminary results will be announced three weeks later on May 21. If no candidate wins outright, a runoff will be held on June 5.
Jessica Donati contributed to this report from Dakar, Senegal.
Chadians vote in N'djamena, Chad, Monday, May 6, 2024. Voters in Chad headed to the polls on Monday to cast their ballot in a long delayed presidential election that is set to end three years of military rule under interim president, Mahamat Deby Itno. (AP Photo/Mouta)
Chadians vote in N'djamena, Chad, Monday, May 6, 2024. Voters in Chad headed to the polls on Monday to cast their ballot in a long delayed presidential election that is set to end three years of military rule under interim president, Mahamat Deby Itno. (AP Photo/Mouta)
Chadian interim President Mahamat Deby Itno casts his ballot, in N'djamena, Chad, Monday, May 6, 2024, in a long delayed presidential election that is set to end three years of military rule. (AP Photo/Mouta)
MIAMI (AP) — Josh Bell hit a tying homer off Edwin Díaz in a four-run ninth inning, the latest costly meltdown by the struggling New York Mets closer, and Otto Lopez singled home the winning run in the 10th as the Miami Marlins rallied for a 10-9 victory Saturday.
Lopez sent a one-out grounder up the middle off Jorge López (1-1) through a drawn-in infield to score automatic runner Christian Bethancourt from third base, and the last-place Marlins (15-32) stretched their winning streak to a season-best four games. It was Miami's fourth walk-off win of the year.
“It was nuts,” Bell said. “The fifth, sixth inning rolls around, you’re hearing the ‘Let’s go Mets’ chants. I know their fans travel well, but it was nice to hear our fans cheer."
Miami was down 9-5 in the ninth before Jazz Chisholm Jr. singled to drive in Vidal Bruján, who led off with a double against Díaz. Bryan De La Cruz reached on an infield single with one out, and Bell hammered Díaz's first-pitch slider 428 feet to straightaway center field for a three-run shot that tied it.
“Definitely up there (in my career)," Bell said. "I think just the situation in the game, and then that’s a future Hall of Famer out there — best closer in the game. So happy to help our team win there, but first and foremost, I don’t think I’ve gotten a hit against (Díaz) in the big leagues.”
Díaz wasn't charged with a blown save because he entered with a four-run lead. But he's blown two consecutive save chances and three of his last four. In his past three outings, he's allowed seven earned runs, seven hits, three walks and two homers over 2 1/3 innings. The star closer with a $102 million contract has a 10.80 ERA over his last eight appearances after serving up four homers in 8 1/3 innings.
“I won’t lie, my confidence I feel is down right now,” Díaz said. “I’m making pitches. I’m throwing strikes. I’m trying to do my best to help the team to win. Right now I’m not in that capacity.”
It was Díaz's first outing at Miami's home ballpark since he went down with a season-ending knee injury there in March 2023 while celebrating Puerto Rico's victory over the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic.
New York (20-25) lost for the seventh time in nine games — all against division opponents — and equaled a season worst of five games below .500 set with its 0-5 start.
Tanner Scott (3-4) picked up the win by pitching a scoreless 10th.
Miami had shut out its previous three opponents — including an 8-0 win over the Mets on Friday night — before J.D. Martinez ripped an RBI single off starter Braxton Garrett that scored Francisco Lindor in the first.
Garrett pitched 4 1/3 innings, giving up seven hits and six runs with five strikeouts and a walk.
Chisholm had three hits and three RBIs, including a solo homer off Mets starter Luis Severino in the third. Bell finished with three hits and four RBIs.
Severino gave up six hits and five runs in 6 2/3 innings. The right-hander let the Marlins back in it in the seventh when he allowed a walk, a run-scoring double and a two-out RBI single that made it 7-4. Reed Garrett replaced Severino and gave up an RBI single to Bell before retiring Jesús Sánchez on a flyout to end the inning.
Martinez and Starling Marte each had an RBI double in the ninth to give the Mets a four-run cushion.
Marte finished with three hits. Harrison Bader and Jeff McNeil each had two RBIs for New York.
Lindor went hitless while batting leadoff for the first time this season, replacing Brandon Nimmo — who hit third — in a lineup shuffle that manager Carlos Mendoza hoped would generate more offense and spark the slumping Lindor.
Lindor reached base on a hit by pitch in the first and brought in a run on a groundout that broke a 2-all tie in the fourth. He also struck out in an 11-pitch at-bat in the second.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Mets: Mendoza said RHP Kodai Senga (right shoulder capsule strain) will throw a bullpen Sunday as he continues to shore up his mechanics. ... RHP Drew Smith (shoulder soreness) will throw a bullpen early next week. Mendoza said Smith has been playing catch and felt no “pinch” in his shoulder area.
UP NEXT
Mets LHP Sean Manaea (2-1, 3.05 ERA) starts the series finale Sunday against RHP Sixto Sánchez (0-1, 5.96).
A previous version of this story was corrected to indicate that Chisholm’s home run came in the third inning, not the second, and to clarify that Díaz's contract guarantees him $102 million, not $102.5 million.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB
New York Mets' Brandon Nimmo is congratulated by teammates after he scored on a single by Mark Vientos during the first inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Saturday, May 18, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
New York Mets' Starling Marte is hit in the foot by a pitch during the first inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Saturday, May 18, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
New York Mets' Luis Severino delivers a pitch during the first inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Saturday, May 18, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
Miami Marlins' Braxton Garrett delivers a pitch during the first inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets, Saturday, May 18, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
New York Mets' Francisco Lindor, right, is congratulated by Starling Marte (6) after Lindor scored on a single by J.D. Martinez during the first inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Saturday, May 18, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
New York Mets' Harrison Bader (44) reacts after he struck out swinging during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Saturday, May 18, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
Miami Marlins' Nick Gordon, left, Edward Cabrera, rear, and Trevor Rodgers, right, celebrate with Otto Lopez, center, after Lopez hit a single scoring Christian Bethancourt to beat the New York Mets 10-9, in 10 innings of a baseball game, Saturday, May 18, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
Miami Marlins' Josh Bell, left, celebrates with Bryan De La Cruz (14) after Bell hit a home run scoring De La Cruz and Jazz Chisholm Jr., during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets, Saturday, May 18, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
Miami Marlins' Edward Cabrera, left, douses Otto Lopez after Lopez hit a single scoring Christian Bethancourt to beat the New York Mets 10-9, in 10 innings of a baseball game, Saturday, May 18, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
Miami Marlins second baseman Otto Lopez, center, is doused by Jazz Chisholm Jr., left rear, as Lopez does an interview after a baseball game against the New York Mets, Saturday, May 18, 2024, in Miami. Lopez hit a single to score Christian Bethancourt to beat the Mets 10-9 in 10 innings. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
Miami Marlins' Otto Lopez hits a single to score Christian Bethancourt to beat the New York Mets 10-9, in 10 innings of a baseball game, Saturday, May 18, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
