what happened last week in Asia, Africa and the Americas

Hey, this is Sham Jaff, your very own news curator. Each week, I highlight some of the biggest stories from regions and countries that are historically underreported in Western media. My goal is to burst our Western-centric bubbles, and expand the view we hold of the world we share with one another. Questions, comments, concerns? You can reach me anytime by replying to this mail. And if this newsletter was forwarded to you, you can sign up at whathappenedlastweek.com.

Today in the newsletter: Issue #368 walks you through Senegalese politics, the poster child for democracy in West Africa. The president last week postponed the presidential elections to December. A lot of people are pretty angry about this decision. Some protests have even turned violent. And in a surprising twist, the recent oil and gas discoveries might have something to do with all of it.

Senegal's postponed its presidential elections, and hell broke loose

What happened
Senegal was all set for presidential elections on February 25, but plot twist – President Macky Sall hit the pause button, shifting it to December 15. This move didn't sit well with many, sparking protests across the country; some of which have turned violent, with one student killed in Saint-Louis. So far, the police has arrested at least 150 people.

Why this matters
Senegal has a reputation of being one of Africa's most stable democracies, where leaders change without any fuss and there's never been a military takeover. Now, people are worried this good record might be in jeopardy.

Tell me more
The decision to delay the election happened in Dakar, the capital city. Sall's party is part of a coalition, which has a tiny lead in the government, and as such managed to make this delay official. This means Sall gets to stay president longer than expected.

Btw, the fact that Macky Sall was not able to seek a third term in office entirely, is due to the successful organizing of Senegalese youth, says Mamadou Diouf, professor at Columbia University, in this interview with Democracy Now.

But why delay the election?
Sall argues the delay is due to eligibility issues with some candidates, casting doubt on the Constitutional Council's transparency, especially regarding Karim Wade of PDS. Wade, son of ex-President Abdoulaye Wade, faced disqualification over dual citizenship. Some have called it a manufactured crisis that Sall has leaned into for a few more months in power. They say Sall might be anxious that his chosen successor — current prime minister Amadou Ba — would have lost the vote this month; therefore, losing his power altogether.

All of this for only a few extra months in power?!
Critics suggest Sall's maneuver is less about legality and more about clinging to power. Journalists Kiri Rupiah and Papa Ismaila Dieng from The Continent in the issue suggest we all follow the money. "Sall's action has a lot to do with the fact that Senegal is on the verge of becoming an oil and gas giant." Senegal's found a bunch of it in recent years, and it's going to make a lot of money. Whoever's in charge gets to decide what to do with that money. That's why there were a crazy number of people, 79 to be exact, wanting to be president. This has led to speculation that Sall is buying time to ensure a favorable successor, potentially securing his influence over Senegal's budding energy wealth.

What's the reaction been like so far?
Most opposition parties called it a "constitutional coup," except for one, PDS. Important religious figures are speaking up because they're worried this could shake things up in a bad way. Meanwhile, more folks are hitting the streets in protest, and the government's trying to keep things under control by cutting off internet access and putting restrictions on motorcycles during the day. "We are in a situation of total uncertainty," Alioune Tine, a human-rights activist in Senegal, told The Economist. "This jump into the unknown can have unexpected consequences—like the army taking power."

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The rest of Issue #368 takes you to Chile and the aftermath of the deadly fires there that killed 131 people (who's to blame and where to go from here). Plus, two peace processes in Colombia and Thailand (yes, even during these warmongering times), giant tortoises in Madagascar, a critical reading of Frantz Fanon, a Netflix recommendation about gentrification (the irony, I know), a former political prisoner who's earned his Bachelor's degree while in prison, a mini-doc about three blind women going bowling and why the Egyptian president was referred to as The Mexican long before U.S. President Joe Biden did.

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