Operação Prato (1977): Brazil’s Secret Military Investigation into UFO Attacks

Introduction

In 1977, the Brazilian Air Force launched one of the most unusual military investigations in South American history. Known as Operação Prato (Operation Saucer), the mission was created to investigate a wave of mysterious flying objects reportedly attacking residents in the Amazon region.

The operation took place mainly in the coastal town of Colares, located near Belém in northern Brazil. Local residents claimed they were being targeted by strange lights descending from the sky—events that became known locally as the “Chupa-Chupa” phenomenon.

The Beginning of the UFO Panic

In mid-1977, villagers in Colares began reporting sightings of bright, silent objects hovering over houses, forests, and rivers at night. Witnesses described glowing discs, cigar-shaped craft, and floating orbs that sometimes shot beams of light toward people.

Residents claimed the beams caused burns, dizziness, weakness, and puncture marks on their skin. According to local doctors, several victims showed symptoms similar to radiation exposure or extreme blood loss.

The strange attacks terrified the small fishing community. Many families abandoned their homes and slept together in groups or under bright lights to avoid being targeted.

The Brazilian Air Force Investigation

Alarmed by the reports, the Brazilian Air Force sent a team of investigators to the region. The mission was led by Captain Uyrangê Hollanda, an intelligence officer tasked with documenting the phenomenon.

Over several months, the team:

• Interviewed dozens of witnesses

• Photographed unidentified objects in the sky

• Recorded videos and sketches of UFO sightings

• Collected medical reports from victims

The investigation produced hundreds of photographs and thousands of pages of reports describing strange lights performing maneuvers beyond known aircraft capabilities.

Some military personnel even claimed to have witnessed the objects themselves during nighttime surveillance.

The “Chupa-Chupa” Attacks

The most disturbing aspect of the case involved alleged attacks by beams of light. Victims reported that UFOs would silently approach and shine a narrow ray that temporarily paralyzed them.

Symptoms described by witnesses included:

• Small circular burns on the skin

• Extreme fatigue or temporary paralysis

• Headaches and dizziness

• Apparent loss of blood

Because of these effects, locals began calling the lights “Chupa-Chupa,” a Portuguese slang term meaning “the sucker.”

One widely reported case involved a woman who claimed the beam struck her chest, leaving burn marks and causing severe weakness.

Sudden End of the Operation

Despite months of investigation, Operação Prato was abruptly canceled in late 1977. The official explanation given by the Brazilian Air Force was that the mission had completed its objectives.

However, the sudden shutdown fueled speculation that the military had discovered something it did not want to reveal publicly.

For decades, the documents remained classified.

Declassified Files and New Revelations

In the early 2000s, many records related to the operation were released through Brazil’s National Archives.

The documents revealed that investigators had taken over 500 photographs, drawn detailed sketches of UFO shapes, and logged numerous sightings by both civilians and military personnel.

Captain Hollanda later gave interviews stating that the objects appeared intelligent and controlled, though he admitted the team never determined their origin.

Legacy of Operação Prato

Today, Operação Prato is widely considered one of the most extensive UFO investigations ever conducted by a military force in Latin America.

The events in Colares remain unexplained and continue to attract UFO researchers and historians interested in government encounters with unidentified aerial phenomena.

Whether the lights were secret technology, natural phenomena, or something truly unknown, the mystery of the Amazon’s “Chupa-Chupa” attacks remains one of Brazil’s most chilling UFO stories.