In 1996, people living 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 stories linked to the event include claims that Brazilian officials captured one or more alien creatures and that animals died at a local zoo. An investigation by the Brazilian Army found that a resident was mistaken for an alien creature and that military personnel in the area were performing regular duties.

Overview

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 creature had a large head, two legs, and skin with spots resembling veins. It also had three bumps on its head and two red, ball-like eyes. The women said the creature appeared unsteady, and they believed it might be hurt or ill. They ran away and told their mothers they had seen a "devil."

After this sighting, rumors spread in the area. Some people claimed to have seen unidentified flying objects, or UFOs, in the days before the event. Later reports included claims of other unknown creatures or aliens being taken to a hospital, government or military vehicles and workers being present in the area, an unknown animal wandering through a nearby forest, the death of a police officer, and unexplained deaths of animals at a local zoo. These included one tapir, one ocelot, and two gray brockets. UFO experts later suggested possible connections between these events and other unexplained claims.

Inquiry

In 2010, an official investigation led by the Brazilian military concluded that three young women had encountered a man named Luiz Antônio de Paula, who was nicknamed "Mudinho." The commander of the 24th Police Battalion Military presented photographs showing a man known as 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 likely mistaken by the frightened girls for a space creature. The head of the investigation also noted that military trucks and personnel were performing routine tasks on the night they were seen. He explained that the presence of firefighters in Jardim Andere, the parking of army trucks near a location where regular maintenance would occur, and the departure of EsSA vehicles were real events that were incorrectly interpreted as military efforts to capture and transport an alleged alien creature to Campinas.

Skeptic Brian Dunning criticized media reports and claims by ufologists, stating that the case was an example of an ordinary event that was exaggerated into a supposed proof of alien visitation. He advised believers to reconsider the standards they use to evaluate evidence.

Tourism

These claims have significantly influenced tourism in the city of Varginha. Grey alien dolls dressed in football uniforms are sold at the site where the incident occurred. Advertising campaigns for the city feature designs of grey aliens. Bus stops are designed as spaceships, and a 20-meter-tall water tower with a disc-shaped water reservoir was built in the town center. This structure is named Nave Espacial de Varginha.