In 1996, people in Varginha, Brazil, reported seeing strange creatures and at least one unidentified flying object (UFO). These reports received a lot of attention from the media. Other reports said that Brazilian authorities claimed to have captured one or more alien creatures and that animals died at a local zoo. An investigation by the Brazilian Army found that a city resident was mistaken for an alien creature and that soldiers moving around the area were part of normal military activities.

Overview

Media reports say that on January 20, 1996, around 3:30 p.m., three women aged 14 to 22 saw a creature near a neighborhood on Dr. Benevenuto Braz Vieira Street. The women described the creature as having a large head, two legs, spots that looked like veins on its skin, and three bumps on its head. Its eyes were bright red. The creature appeared wobbly, and the girls thought it might be hurt or ill. They ran away and told their mothers they had seen a "devil."

Afterward, rumors spread through the area. Some people said they saw UFOs before the creature was spotted. Later, people claimed that other unknown creatures or aliens were taken to a hospital. Military, police, and government vehicles and workers were seen in the area. An unknown animal was said to be moving through a nearby forest. A police officer was killed, and some animals in the local zoo died without explanation: one tapir, one ocelot, and two gray brockets. People who study UFOs later said these events might be connected.

Inquiry

In 2010, an official investigation led by the Brazilian military found that the young women had met a man with mental health issues known as "Mudinho" (Luiz Antônio de Paula). The Commander of the 24th Police Battalion Military showed photographs of a man named Mudinho, who likely had a mental disability and whose appearance matched the women's description. The commander suggested that the man, who may have been dirty from heavy rain and seen crouching near a wall, was probably mistaken by the frightened girls for a space creature. The head of the investigation also noted that military trucks and personnel were carrying out normal duties that night. They explained that the presence of firefighters in Jardim Andere, army trucks near a service station where regular maintenance was being done, and the movement of EsSA vehicles were real events. These were incorrectly understood as firefighters and military members capturing and transporting the alleged creature to Campinas.

Skeptic Brian Dunning criticized exciting but untrue media stories and claims by people who study UFOs. Dunning stated that the case is an example of an event where nothing unusual occurred, but it was exaggerated into a story many believe proves alien visitation. He advised believers to reconsider how strong the evidence must be before accepting such claims.

Tourism

These claims have significantly affected tourism in the city of Varginha. Grey alien dolls wearing football uniforms are sold at the location where the incident occurred. Grey alien designs were used in advertisements for the city. Bus stops shaped like spaceships were built, and a 20-metre-tall water tower with a disc-shaped water reservoir was constructed in the town center. This tower is called the Nave Espacial de Varginha.