After years locked away from the public eye, several documents regarding UFO investigations carried out by the Brazilian government have been made public. The documents record information regarding official government investigations into several incidents recorded throughout the 1980’s. Thus far, some 4,000 pages have been released, and it’s a fascinating read the events reported to say the least. That is, if you can read Portuguese.
One such event is the “Official UFO Night in Brazil,” on May 19, 1986, when 21 objects reported to be spherical in shape and, according to Brazilian military sources, over 100 meters in diameter were spotted. Radar reports by military and civilian radar reported the objects, and quickly visual confirmation was coming from several civilian pilots. Air traffic was in chaos above major Brazilian air ports, and finally F5 and Mirage fighter jets were scrambled to track the objects. It was the public outcry of the event that spurred Octavio Moreira Lima, the Air Force Minister, to go public the next morning and speak on the events openly with the public on television.
Since 2007, several disclosures have happened all over the world thanks to the campaign calling itself UFOs: Freedom of Information Now, created by the Brazilian Committee of UFO Researchers in 2004. The announcement came in the form of a message from one Brazilian Committee of UFO Researchers (CBU) member, “After two small and a medium size release of documents, respectively last year and last May 04, that I informed here before, we at the Brazilian Committee of UFO Researchers (CBU) — which promoted the campaign that resulted in this opening of files – have been officially informed that the government has now decided to disclose all documents produced in the 80s and kept secret so far. The release should be at the National Archives in 10 days.” Brazilian website www.ufo.com.br has thousands of pages of documents, and over 200 photos. Already released are the previously classified documents of the 1960’s and 1970’s. The System for the Investigation of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena, or SIOANI for short, has released these documents in the spirit of disclosure. Of course none of the documents ever came to an official conclusion as to the nature of the phenomena, but it did acknowledge official investigations going on up all the way to today, and the findings of those investigations.
Much of the information comes in the form of eyewitness accounts. Witnesses report several archetypal disc-shaped craft, orbs, and some reports indicate there are a few close encounters of the third and fourth kind as well. The documents are currently being translated to English by a team of 30 translators working around the clock and hired by the CBU. The first 500 pages are scheduled to be translated by October 15, but the ambitious team is hoping for sooner. The documents are available now, however, along with several pictures each worth thousands of words in any language. The release of these documents follows an interesting wave of disclosures happening of late.