Varginha Alien Case: New Documentary Reveals Conflicting Military T...

The documentary 'O Mistério de Varginha' revisits the 1996 case that brought international attention to the city of Varginha in the South of Minas Gerais. The series presents a divide between ufologists who claim to have evidence of an alien capture and authorities who label the event an invention. Ufologist Vitório Pacaccini shares audio and video recordings of military personnel describing a creature with viscous skin and three horns. Conversely, former Fire Corps Captain Pedro Alvarenga states that no such operation occurred, calling it a created story. The documentary also features Ubirajara Rodrigues, an investigator who initially supported the theory but now claims there is no evidence. A major revelation comes from a soldier who previously described the creature but now appears on camera to deny the existence of the Varginha ET, calling it a 'fictitious story.' The series aired on TV Globo in January 2026.

Nearly three decades after the alleged appearance of an extraterrestrial in Varginha, the case remains surrounded by conflicting versions. The controversy was recently highlighted in the second episode of the documentary series 'O Mistério de Varginha,' which aired on TV Globo. The production is a co-production between Estúdios Globo and EPTV, consisting of three episodes broadcast on January 6, 7, and 8, 2026.

On one side of the debate is ufologist Vitório Pacaccini, who claims to have gathered detailed testimonies from military personnel describing the capture and transport of the creature. On the other side, authorities from the time, researchers, and even one of the military witnesses themselves assert that the event was a fabrication. The series revisits one of the world's most well-known ufological cases, which projected the city internationally following reports of encounters between residents and supposed extraterrestrial beings.

Pacaccini's Investigation

Vitório Pacaccini states that he began receiving mysterious contacts shortly after the case gained traction. He describes receiving phone calls accompanied by codes and requests for secrecy. "I and my 'mamma' started calling acquaintances. The phone rang at my house and a friend of mine said: 'the jaguar is going to drink water.' A code, someone is going to speak," Pacaccini explained. He claims to have arranged a secret meeting where he recorded the first testimony from a firefighter.

The documentary presents audio and video recordings of military personnel describing the alleged creature. In a 1996 cassette tape recording, a firefighter claims the creature was captured alive. The witness described the being as approximately half a meter tall with a large red eye, a large head with three horns, and thin arms. The witness noted, "The skin looked like it had grease, viscous, viscous skin." The recording continues, "The Fire Corps put it inside a box, a wooden box covered by a sack. It is not from this world, it is not." Ufologists classified this material as a "bomb testimony" that reinforces the version of a military operation.

However, Pedro Alvarenga, the then commander of the Varginha Fire Corps, released an official note denying any activation to capture an extraterrestrial. In an interview for the documentary, Alvarenga maintained his position: "I, personally, I wanted it to be true, right? Think about it, it would be very good for us to have captured the ET. It would be a milestone for the city and even for the Fire Corps. But that didn't happen. It was a created story..."

Additional Video Evidence

Despite the official denial, Pacaccini claims to have recorded a second military witness, this time from the Army, on video. This witness allegedly saw the creature at the Humanitas Hospital and participated in its transport to a military unit. The recording describes a body lying down, shining, with an oily appearance inside a wooden coffin. "He was lying down. It shone a lot, it looked like they had passed vaseline on him, anything. Like a mass, a cream. They boarded the truck and took it to the EsSA," the recording states.

Unreleased videos accessed by the documentary team feature further details. An Army corporal described seeing the creature up close: "When I looked inside the box, I saw a foot, a strange foot, it looked like it only had two toes... It looked like there was oil, a grease, clear, on the knee." The corporal recounted a Colonel telling the personnel, "Well gentlemen, you have just participated in an ultra-secret mission." When asked what he saw, the Colonel allegedly said, "That thing there is not a man or an animal, that thing there is an extraterrestrial."

Another soldier described the creature as "brown, oily, with a very strong smell," noting small waves on the head and a very small mouth. "He pulled his tongue... It was like a tape tongue... He pulled it with the tweezers and let it go," the soldier said.

The documentary highlights a significant shift in the narrative from key figures involved in the case. One of the most striking moments occurs when a soldier identified as the third military witness appears before the cameras to deny the story entirely. After 30 years, the soldier claims the recording he participated in was fictitious. "Today I can tell the truth. After 30 years this is the first time I'm in front of a camera to talk about this subject. I participated in a recording. This recording is a fictitious story. There is no Varginha ET, that doesn't exist. It is one of the biggest hoaxes that ever existed," the soldier stated.

Ubirajara Rodrigues, a ufologist who investigated the case from the beginning, has also adopted an opposing stance. Initially, he believed in the case and was the first to tell the girls that what they saw might be an extraterrestrial. However, after over a decade of study, he concluded there are no proofs or traces of a ship or being from another planet. Rodrigues now believes the reports were induced. "I think they were induced testimonies, that they were fabricated testimonies, that were artificially, according to the belief of ufology, led to say what they say," Rodrigues said. He expressed regret for telling the girls that what they saw could be an extraterrestrial.

Threats and a Secret Video

Vitório Pacaccini claims he began suffering threats after publicizing the reports, including gunshots fired at his home, which forced him to leave the South of Minas and live abroad for years. He returned publicly in 2022 for the inauguration of the ET Memorial. Pacaccini also asserts that he viewed a 35-second video of the creature alive. According to him, the footage showed military personnel attempting to feed the being, which appeared debilitated. "A messenger came to me and said: you are authorized to watch a video of one of the creatures, yes or no? I said yes. Eternally yes... I watched it five times, a video of 35 seconds," Pacaccini said. He described the creature refusing food such as a green leaf and a piece of banana, and having a "suffering facial expression, close to death."

'O Mistério de Varginha' is a three-part series that revisits the case using new interviews, documents, audio, historical archives, and official records never before shown. The investigation presents different versions of the events and confronts the testimonies that marked the episode. Among those interviewed are central characters like Ubirajara Rodrigues and the 'three girls of the ET'—Kátia, Liliane, and Valquíria—who recall the episode and show how they are today.

The series is directed by Ricardo Calil and Paulo Gonçalves, with executive production by Fernanda Neves and artistic direction by Monica Almeida. It aired on TV Globo following 'O Auto da Compadecida 2' and is also available on Globoplay. The production aims to explore the mystery that projected the city of Varginha onto the international stage, a case that remains a subject of fascination and debate.