section_path: Coup/Events
section_name: Events
paragraph_text: Events
  
  Amidst growing scrutiny and widespread protests over the conduct of the elections, the Armed Forces of Gabon launched a pre-dawn coup on 30 August. Soldiers led by high-ranking officers seized control of key government buildings, communication channels, and strategic points within the capital Libreville. Gunfire was also heard in the city.
  
  The coup occurred just minutes after Bongo's re-election was declared at 3:30 am WAT by the Gabonese Electoral Commission with 64.27% of the vote. During a televised morning address from the Presidential Palace in Libreville on the state channel Gabon 24, around a dozen military personnel announced the end of the existing regime, with a military spokesperson claiming to be speaking on behalf of a " Committee for the Transition and Restoration of Institutions ", citing "irresponsible, unpredictable governance" that had led to "a continuous degradation of social cohesion, risking pushing the country into chaos." Among the officers seen during the announcement were army colonels and members of the Republican Guard. They announced the annulment of the recent election, the dissolution of state institutions, and the closure of the country's borders, which were reopened on 2 September. Internet access, which had been cut since the election, was reported to have been restored, while the curfew put in place at the time of the election was extended until further notice. but was later shortened to the early morning.