Operação Prato
Residents of Colares and nearby towns in the Amazon state of Pará reported lights they called 'chupa-chupa' (sucker) that they said left marks on their bodies. Families held all-night vigils and lit fires to keep them away. At the mayor's request, the Brazilian Air Force sent a team under Captain Uyrangê Hollanda, which spent weeks photographing and logging lights. In 1997 Hollanda gave a long interview to ufologists describing what his men saw. He died three months later, which drew conspiracy theories.
The ledger
What the record shows, what people say, and the best explanation available so far.
What's documented
- The Air Force's reports and photographs, now held by Brazil's National Archives.
- Medical and press accounts of residents' injuries.
What's claimed
- Lights attacked and drained blood from villagers.
- The military recovered evidence it never released.
Best explanation so far
The operation closed after concluding it had found nothing unusual. Fear spread quickly in a remote, poor area, and some injuries may have had ordinary causes, but the many reports and photos have never been fully explained.
Check the sources
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