Argentina: Ufology in La RIoja - A Growing Interest in Sightings

Source: Tiempo Popular - Portal de Noticias

Date:04.22.2026

Argentina: Ufology in La RIoja - A Growing Interest in Sightings

Journalist Angel Flores yet again brought forward the subject of unidentified aerial pheomena following his recent communication with the Medios Provincia team, sharing his personal experiences and the research activity he has been engaged in for years.

During the interview, Flores recounted a personal experience linked ot a sighting, which also forms part of his book Ovnis en La Rioja (UFOs in La RIoja). "I retold this experience in journalistic round table. I wasn't treated very well and I did not speak of it again," he said, regarding the difficulties encountered when he tried to make his experience known.

He pointed out, however, that he found willing listeners over time. "After that experience, I went to a town and people told me: that's commonplace but it isn't normal," reflecting the ambiguous perception that exists in various communities regarding this kind of phenomena.

"This initiative is called Project IAC by a group of researchers from the province of Mendoza who are already working in the southern reaches of the province, namely in Malargüe, and we are heading there this weekend. The provincial mayor has already proposed creating 'UFO itineraries,' given that it is a hotspot, and La Rioja was later added to the initiative. For many years, we have received reports of sightings, cattle mutilations, and mysterious lights, and this led our research group to head in that direction, specifically to Chepes, Ondas, and Tropical, where we conducted exhaustive investigations in an effort to bring a measure of scientific rigor to the subject, prompted by the number of cattle mutilations in the region.

"We were surprised to find that, among the many cattlemen affected by this phenomenon and the many mutilated cattle, there appeared to be a pattern in which strange lights had been seen the night before. We were able to record the lights reported by the cattle ranchers. [...] We got to Chepes and found a sizeable number of ranchers telling the same story, as well as others who were present at the site. We also had the testimony of a veterinarian, using full scientific rigor, who was able to describe the perfect surgical incisions present. He was hesitant to appear in a documentary we made on the subject, but in the end he agreed and was unable to offer any explanation for these animal mutilations. The mystery remains unsolved, and further research is necessary."

[Translation & transcription ©2026 S. Corrales, IHU]