The World Cup was in full swing. Minutes earlier, Argentina's ruling military junta's bird-like, moustachioed commander, General Jorge Rafael Videla, announced to the approximately 80,000-strong throng that the tournament would be played under a peace symbol. The statement provoked laughter and applause from the crowd. But just hours later, the joke became reality when Argentina defeated England 2-1 in Rio de Janeiro to win its first championship. Videla had declared the match after learning that his army could not protect all of Brazil from violence. In addition to protecting cities from guerrilla attacks, the armed forces had been ordered to suppress left-wing demonstrations against the government. Argentina's victory over England made it only the second South American country (after Uruguay) to win the World Cup. It also marked the end of Britain's participation in the event. A few days before the final, Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher had announced her resignation, leading to calls for a boycott by British athletes. Videla was appointed president by the military council two months earlier, on March 11, 1976. He took control of the government despite being out of action due to health problems related to kidney surgery he had several years earlier. His appearance at the ceremony was the first time since his surgery that Videla had been seen in public.