Freedom Day, also known as Armed Forces Day, is observed in Equatorial Guinea every August 3. This public holiday commemorates the anniversary of the military coup in 1979, when Teodoro Obiang Nguema deposed his uncle, Francisco Macías Nguema, who had established a dictatorship after the country gained independence from Spain in 1968. Following the coup, Francisco Nguema was tried and executed, leading to the restoration of nationalized property to its owners and the resumption of diplomatic relations with the USA and Spain. In 1982, a new constitution was adopted, granting extensive political freedoms. The day serves as a reminder of the significant political changes in the country’s history and is marked annually as a public holiday in Equatorial Guinea.