Mexico: An Interview With Claudio Mora, “La Esfera Invisible”
By Roberto S. Contreras
Serious and Objective Research in Morelia
For many years we have witnessed increasing openness in the discussion and exposition of the subject of the unidentifieds and the paranormal. This state of affairs has cause many characters, enthusiasts and so-called experts to sprout everywhere, promoting themselves noisily on the social networks, where we can find everything from budding interested parties who never mature, and see the subject as an endless pastime to fill their lives, to the acknowledged expert having many years of work and research experience behind them, heralding it to the winds. The fact is that there is something for everyone, such as those fans who latch on to someone who has a passed on, and who enjoyed a certain amount of fame, and then claim having been great friends, or their secretary or personal advisor. This serves to generate a certain amount of attention aimed at them. We also find the parasite who seeks only financial betterment, startling the unwary who fall for their illogical foolishness. We can also find characters who -- thanks to the bounty of the Internet – set up homemade radio shows (in which they are experts in all manner of things) from which to unleash their egos and insanity, weaving elaborate fantasies and theories which are as hare-brained as a science fiction film. There are other strange specimens that are too tiresome to mention, but fortunately, not all of them are like that.
Luckily, we can find some serious researchers in Mexico, people who do their work and research in a serious and objective fashion, beyond the tinsel and limelight. It may be that there are only a few, but they exist and it suffices to listen to what they have to say. Finding a whole group with such characteristics – earnest, committed, whose growth we have witnessed, as I’ve known them for many years – leads to the conversation in which, as you shall see, several interesting issues are raised. This then is the interview with our friends at La Esfera Azul, adn the way in which they perceive these mysteries.
Development and Professionalism
Roberto S. Contreras (RSC): Salvador, could you tell when you started to operate as a group? How many of there are you, and how are you organized?
Esfera Azul: Of course, Robert. First of all, many thanks for the interview. It is always a pleasure to speak with a colleague and friend, as you have been for many years. La Esfera Azul was created as a group on 12 June 1999, and we are currently about ten members. Yours truly is the founder-director of the organization, and we operate from the premise of being a group of friends linked by a healthy interest in mysterious subjects, yet at the same time adopting an objective and committed stance toward them. Depending on the case to be investigated (UFOs, paranormal, cryptozoology, crop circles, etc.) it is approached by those who happen to be specialists in the field, or rather, there are those of us who can cover most of them based on our field experience. We can thus convey experiences between members, both the newest and the oldest ones, insuring constant development and professionalism in our group.
RSC: How did the idea of creating a research group into these mysteries come about?
Esfera Azul: I initially developed a professional interest in these subjects since 1992. Over time, little by little and in a constant manner, I have tried to be as professional as possible in dealing with research into these mysteries. In 1999, nearly two years of having teamed up with like-minded friends to discuss and share our knowledge on the subject, I took the initiative and decision to constitute a group through which we could “professionalize” ourselves as a team, going from being mere enthusiasts to objective researchers in the full senses of the word, generating our own investigations. Our main goals have always included injecting seriousness and objectivity, since as you are well aware, these subjects have also become a breeding ground for rogues and charlatans. It is precisely because these subjects are worthy of respect, once you have delved into them.
R.S.C.: What events and research have you performed in these years?
Esfera Azul: As far as research is concerned, we have about 150 events, some of them published through our official web site, others are underway and there are still others which we have not made public. We will do it soon. As far as events go, we’ve organized 4 conferences, 3 of them national and 1 international, held in our home city of Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico. These took place in 2002, 2003, 2005 and 2007 respectively, and as far as we know, we’re the only anomalous research group in our country to have held four events of such magnitude, and it should be noted that this was achieved with great effort and receiving basically nothing in return. It was all done in favor and support of the progress of these subjects in a professional manner. In the year 2011, we kicked off a series of lectures, in which you yourself and Hernán Bado played a part. We shall soon restart this series of lectures.
Possible Explosion of an Unknown Object
R.S.C.: What has been your best investigation and why?
Esfera Azul: Out of all the research initiatives we have had the opportunity to carry out since 1999, I could hardly mention one in particular, as they have all been interesting in their own way and with features that make them unique. However, I can say that some of the most noteworthy ones include, for example the 2007 UFO investigation into a possible explosion of an unknown object on the ground near Cerro del Quinceo. It was necessary for us to conduct a fly-over of the area in a private plane to find the exact location, in order to then collect physical specimens on the ground. These were later shared with scientists of the graduate schools of Biotechnology and Metallurgy of the Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, highlighting that this investigation is the first of its kind in Mexico, and possibly in the world, in which scientists have become deeply involved. They furnished written and official accounts of what was found in the physical samples, attesting that something really did fall out of the sky.
R.S.C: After having moved around within the subject, and knowing people, what’s your perception of research in Mexico?
Esfera Azul: We believe that research into the unexplained in Mexico, after having been the leader and spearhead internationally for several decades, and even for a number of years in recent memory, has fallen into a rut. It has become stultified. This is due to situations that have caused it great harm, such as yellow journalism, fanaticism, pseudo-researchers and similar situations (in many instances due to the egos and a variety of personal interests). However, we also believe that this situation will turn itself around in the near future, and we will be able to regain the course and position that our country has occupied with regard to these subjects, based on the objectivity and work of many who, like us, also want to recover that position, since I think there are many more of us who are working toward true, serious and objective research. I hope that’s the case.
R.S.C.: Has La Esfera Azul found, or favor, any theory or explanation for unidentified flying objects?
Esfera Azul: Yes, we also believe that there could be a variety of explanations, hypotheses and/or theories that can be mutually related, as these possible answers or explanations range from the riskiest assumptions to the extraterrestrial hypothesis to multiverses, parallel universe, the hollow-Earth theory, time-travel and secret technology belonging to the superpowers. All of this, I repeat, could apply to individual cases or to mutually related cases. Time will tell, since branches of science, including multi-disciplinary ones, may shed greater light in this regard (quantum physics could well be among them).
Out of 10 or 20 Contactee Cases, Only One May Be Real
R.S.C.: What’s your opinion of the contactee phenomenon?
Esfera Azul: This is a phenomenon we believe to be real, but which at the same time, to give you a statistical example, only one may be authentic out of a possible 20-30 cases, and this would be based on in-depth and timely research, or following up the person or persons involved, since several fields of knowledge are involved, and multi-disciplinary research (psychology, psychiatry, medicine, biology, physics, etc.). Unfortunately, the vast majority of these contactee cases not only lack hard evidence, but specific facts and personalities as well. It’s a very interesting subject, but one that must be approached with total objectivity and professionalism.
R.S.C.: What case or cases in Mexico struck you the most, and which would you like to investigate?
Esfera Azul: There are several, ranging from classic cases from long ago to recent ones. To give you an example, in the paranormal field, I think it would have been extremely interesting to research the building known as “La Castañeda”, one of our country’s enigmatic locations, which housed one of the largest mental institutions to have ever existed, and all of the events that took place there. As far as UFOs go, there are also several and we can mention the possible collision of a UFO in Puebla in the 1970s during the 20th century. Within the field of cryptozoology, our country is vast in that regard, but for example, cases involving “aluches” or the guardians of tunnels to intraterrestrial cities that are abundant in our culture, would also be very interesting to look into, among others.
A Need for More Objective Researchers Committed to the Truth
R.S.C.: We know that there are many enthusiasts in this field, some who only cut and paste, characters who dub themselves researchers and even contactees, but despite these inconveniences, how does La Esfera Azul perceive serious researchers in our country?
Esfera Azul: We believe that serious researchers are on the rise within our country, slowly but steadily. I think that there is a growing awareness of the need for more objective researchers, committed to the truth and professionalism in all subjects involving the unknown.
R.S.C.: How are these phenomena received in Morelia?
Esfera Azul: On the one hand, and it bears mentioning, there is an abundance of self-proclaimed “researchers” operating through radio programs and based on purely monetary interests. They are hardly more than pseudo-researchers, because they contribute very little to the subject and take advantage of the ignorance of many people. Being fear-based, it earns them money and dividends, with the result that the mystery research scene in Morelia has been damaged. However, in the same way we can state that we were the first formal group to make a professional approach to these subjects, not only in Morelia, but in our state of Michoacán, we have learned of people who much like us, are trying to take their first steps in this field with professionalism and a sense of commitment, endeavoring to bring their best to this field. They have approached us for advice, support or even to join us, a situation that pleases us greatly, and we will always provide support, since Morelia has always been, so to speak, a late reflection what our country was going through a few years ago, when a crisis in the field arose due to the sensationalist saturation that led to yellow press and fanaticism. We believe that this is our current situation. Nonetheless, I repeat that it is being rolled back for the reasons I told you, and that we shall see improvements in the near future.
R.S.C: Do you have any message for those who will read this interview?
Esfera Azul: First, I’d like to thank you Robert, for this interview. Aside from being colleagues, we have been friends for many years now, and I’d also like to thank all those who are reading this interview. I would like to send a message to those who feel -- in an egotistic and even jealous and restricting manner – that research on these subjects is limited to our nation’s capital. On the contrary, the remaining 31 states of the Mexican Republic, with their respective cities, have had and always will have fully capable and professional people who can also give their best to this subject. Let us set aside our egos. To those who are starting out in this field, bear in mind what I have said. Never lose your humility and simplicity, as that is always serve as the basis for making you objective and respectful researchers of mysteries. Remember to watch the skies with your feet on the ground. My best regards to everyone, and keep in touch.
(Translation (c)2012, Scott Corrales, Institute of Hispanic Ufology (IHU)