Exactly four decades ago, British band Queen played five shows in Argentina: three in Buenos Aires, one in Mar del Plata and one in Rosario, as part of their tour supporting their 1980 album "The Game".

With the exception of Santana in 1973, no big foreign rock stars had come to the country, and Queen were coming at the peak of their glory. Up until that moment, for an American or British artist "World Tour" meant Europe and Japan, but certainly not South America. So Queen were also forerunners in this arena also, including our continent as a leg of their tour (Van Halen and The Police were among the first to follow suit).

Queen's visit became more than a music concert, it was the cultural event of its time, and nobody wanted to miss it. The military government even ordered for one of the concerts to be broadcast live in its entirety on public TV.

On the occasion of this anniversary RAE Argentina to the World brings you an English-language interview with Wilki Amieva, an Argentine Queen expert, collector and archivist who even worked for a time with the band integrated by Freddie Mercury, Brian May, Roger Taylor and John Deacon.

We delve into the historic context of the visit, that had a military regime wanting to show to the world more openness, trying to shed the well-earned reputation of Argentina as the site of HHRR violations. By having an international number like Queen in the country, generals hoped to signal there was certain freedom in the nation.

Wilki tells us the background, the anecdotes (including the band's acquaintance with a very young Diego Armando Maradona) and the details of this series of shows that were indeed a turning point in Argentina's music history.

Queen posing on the stage of Vélez Sarsfield stadium, Buenos Aires.

Freddie Mercury and Diego Maradona wearing the flags of the other, in the backstage of Velez Sarsfield stadium.

Maradona introducing "Another One Bites The Dust", on Vélez Sarsfield Stadium 1981.

Even the Argentina Federal Police shared on their social media a picture that Freddie took back then with some agents in the streets, wearing one of their helmets.

The legendary announcer Juan Alberto Badía was in charge of introducing the band and commenting on the live broadcast.

Queen in Buenos Aires, 1981.