CE3K: A Humanoid in Lanús (1964)
Written by the ONIFE-CEP Documentary Coordination (1981)
Translation by Scott Corrales, IHU
Belief in UFOs has grown inexorably with the passing of years. There are many cases ,and many witnesses, who have had a variety of experiences. Despite the inexplicable efforts made to silence it, the UFO phenomenon is now more valid than ever and has earned the right to be the most published subject over time, forty years after Kenneth Arnold made it relevant for our age. Experiencers now range in the thousands, and believers and experimenters with ufology number in the millions, with hundreds of books and magazines specializing in the subject. There is no radio or television medium that does not broadcast - at least once a week , somewhere in the world -a news item involving UFOs or making reference to them.
This has helped people lose fear of ridicule and rebel against the absurd standards of silence imposed either by ignorance or at the convenience of a 'status quo' that does not accept innovations in the general population's ways of thinking or feeling. So it is that day after day we witness the growth of the number of persons at all cultural and social levels who openly admit having had experiences, discuss them and have no objection with being openly identified.
The case we present today took place in the year 1964. Given its characteristics and the responsibility of the person who experienced it, we have decided that it deserved to be published. We read his letter - very genuine, very sincere, and we arranged for an interview at ONIFE, which took place in July 1981.
Ignacio Garcia Aguirre proved to be a serious individual not given to flights of fancy. He is an older man with children and grandchildren who has held management positions in official banking institutions through his life (he is now retired). He told us:
"I believe that no self-respecting person with an acknowledged career path would jeopardize his or her reputation - to a greater or lesser degree - and experience the need to lower themselves by knowingly discussing something that isn't real."
One can believe Ignacio without any need for such a statement, as he distills sincerity in his person and in his words, and his background does not make him prone to visions or hallucinations. We therefore believe it best to allow him to speak and transcribe his account verbatim:
"The year was 1964 (November). For a while I ran a business on 14 de Julio Street in Lanús, Buenos Aires Province. Since it was hot, I kept the front door open. I had just received merchandise and was cross-checking it, sitting at a desk facing the door, which was four meters distant. I was alone and was completely oblivious to anything other than my duties. The time must have been 18:00 hours, a magnificent afternoon with radiant sunshine. I don't know what prompted me to look up from the papers. Facing me at a distance of four meters there was SOMETHING perfectly outlined on the door, but standing on the path under the threshold, looking at me. I immediately realized that I was looking at something that went beyond the borders of what was normal. I was able to look at it objectively, as it maintained still for half a minute, we looked at each other without becoming excited, because I wasn't overly impressed. I did not shudder or become anguished. In spite of the unusual presence I never looked away, remaining serene and aloof, emotionless. It occurred to me that it was also studying me and that perhaps, by some means, was able to glean my non-aggressive, emotionless mood. I wanted to act naturally so as not to ruin the fascinating experience.
"The being that appeared before me - as I did not see it arrive - had a head that was too large for any human body, much more for its diminutive stature. It had no hair or eyelashes, not even eyebrows. I didn't see any ears on it, yet I suppose it must have had orifices. Its eyes, nose and mouth were tiny and not humanlike. They were merely holes, circular holes of the same size. Its face was as expressionless as a mask. If I had to define it, I would say that its glance was languid and kind, like what one sees religious images. Its skin had the look and color of candlewax. It wore a form-fitting garment that was the same color as its skin, without pockets, pleats or seams, but wide. The garment began beneath its head and did not allow any view of the neck. I had the impression that it had none. It did not wear a belt, and did not have buttons or other fasteners. As it was out on the path, the threshold covered its lower section, and I therefore could not see if it had feet. A detail I did notice is that its hands did not appear outside the well-defined sleeves.
"After a few moments I thought that perhaps it was waiting for a signal from me, which was something I was expecting from it, but nothing happened. All of my interest was focused on trying to take it all in. That's why my description is so detailed. After the reciprocal observation was over, it turned around like a doll would and slowly vanished from the entrance. It only then occurred to me that I had been privileged to see an entity that did not belong to our own humanity. No sooner did it vanish that it occurred to me that someone else might have seen or heard of the phenomenon in the neighborhood. I asked around with negative results and I ceased my inquiries after having to bring up the size of its head. Before this, I closed the business with the intention of following it to see what it was and where it was going, but it was fruitless. Not a trace. As though he had dematerialized.
This then is the statement made by Ignacio G. Aguirre concerning his remarkable experience. We can discard any anxiety or hallucination whatsoever - of this there is no question - given the quality of the witness, the proximity of the humanoid and the detailed description thereof. This is a very interesting case as it contains highly valuable elements for study. We asked the witness the following questions:
ONIFE: How did the figure look to you? Was it two-dimensional like a sheet, or three-dimensional with a material body?
Witness: (After pondering this for a moment). It was something in front of me. More like a figure than a three dimensional body.
ONIFE: Did you hear any noise, see any kind of light, or notice anything strange?
Witness: Not at all.
ONIFE: Did the entity seem to you like a living creature, or more like a projection?
Witness: Despite the kindness of its features, I think it was rather more like a projection.
ONIFE: Did the experience affect you in later life?
Witness: Yes, but not much. I became withdrawn, lost some friends, and kept them at a distance without justification.
ONIFE: Fifteen years after the event, how do you feel about the experience?
Witness: As if had occurred yesterday, and I've given it a lot of thought. The presence of that absurd being is enough to make me believe they're among us, and what others may think concerns me not at all.
ONIFE: Aren't you worried about being laughed at when this story appears, or not being believed?
Witness: Up until today I was repressed out of a fear of being singled out. But I've led an orderly life that puts me beyond all suspicion. Will they say I imagined it? That it was a hallucination?
The witness makes a dismissive gesture, like someone who cares little for the opinions of others. We concluded the interview observing his features. Serene, calm, he made us feel that this was the seal of authenticity for his strange story. But no more bizarre than thousands of others - some disclosed, others withheld by the fear that Ignacio García managed to overcome.