1966 Republic of the Congo coup attempt

1966 Republic of the Congo coup d'état attempt 200px Location Republic of the Congo AU Africa.svg 300px June 27 - July 6, 1966 Republic of the Congo Coup fails Alphonse Massamba-Débat returns from Madagascar and remains in power Republic of the Congo Government of the Republic of the Congo Cuba Cuban military mission Army faction For 10 days in June and July, 1966 an attempted coup took place in the Republic of the Congo. Gleijeses Piero Conflicting Missions: Havana, Washington, and Africa, 1959-1976 University of North Carolina Press 2002 0-8078-5464-6 169–172 The coup was sparked following the demotion of Marien Ngouabi (the future President) who was accused of insubordination. Ngouabi's elite unit of paratroopers took over part of the capital, Brazzaville and were successful at cutting of the city's telecommunications and transportation. Gleijeses Piero Conflicting Missions: Havana, Washington, and Africa, 1959-1976 University of North Carolina Press 2002 0-8078-5464-6 169–172 A group of over 200 Cuban army troops, then resident in Brazzaville, protected the government's radio station as well as the Congolese government against the rebelling paratroopers. When President Alphonse Massamba-Débat returned to the country on 3 July he was greeted at the airport by members of his government and not by the military, which was customary. Gleijeses Piero Conflicting Missions: Havana, Washington, and Africa, 1959-1976 University of North Carolina Press 2002 0-8078-5464-6 169–172 Soviet, American, West German, Belgian, and French diplomats who were present all agreed that the Cuban army's presence in the capital had prevented the overthrow of the regime. Gleijeses Piero Conflicting Missions: Havana, Washington, and Africa, 1959-1976 University of North Carolina Press 2002 0-8078-5464-6 169–172 References Category:1966 in the Republic of the Congo Republic of the Congo Category:Coups d'état in the Republic of the Congo Category:1960s coups d'état Category:June 1966 in Africa Category:July 1966 in Africa