The article underneath was published in the daily newspaper El Liberalof Santiago del Estero, Argentina, on June 23, 2002.
The police precinct of Garza confirmed yesterday the discovery of a heifer with parts sectioned off. The event occured under unknown circumstances and the incisions resemble those now seen on a daily basis in the fields of the provinces of La Pampa and Buenos Aires.
The animal was found yesterday in a hilly region of a place known as Quimilioj in the department of San Martin by a local resident, Joaquin Lemos: "The cow apparently died two days ago and it was learned that some of its body parts were missing, apparently its eyes and udders," reported police and judicial sources to EL LIBERAL.
These spokesmen maintained that the event deserves the attention of officialdom since the initial inspections suggest that the animals death has been surrounded by "confusing circumstances".
"There appears to be no putrefaction and while carrion birds presumably approached the animal, they did not touch it," added the sources.
Meanwhile police from Precinct 38 of Garza maintained in its report to authorities in the capital that no tire tracks or footsteps were found near the animal, nor anything that could suggest the presence of cattle rustlers.
At the close of this edition, sources said that "taking these development into consideration, and in order to make the corresponding technical verifications, " Fifth Circuit Criminal Court Justice Dr. Jose Antonio Uņates will head out to the site in question. He will be accompanied by the chief of police, Sheriff Jose Tomas Lescano, and the veterinarian from the K-9 division, Eduardo Betbeder, chemical specialist of the Narcotics Unit, Roberto Adamo and personnel from the Institute of Bromatology of the province. Judge Uņates also requested the attendance of the presdient of the School of Veterinary Medicine of Santiago del Estero and Dr. Andres Miotti, a local UFO researcher.
Residents of the Santa Rosa de Lima neighborhood in the city's northern end contacted EL LIBERAL yesteday to inform that they have been witnessing for the past several nights - in concatenation with the sightings at Fernandez and Ojo de Agua - objects with strange lights in the direction of La Venacha, to the northeast of Santiago. The wave of rumors and UFO sightings are directly related to the appearance of mutilated animals and there are already specialists who point to the presence of "extraterrestrials" as the parties responsible for these acts.
In spite of the proximity of the city's airport , residents of the western sector of the city do not relate the strange lights with planes or helicopters which may be coming in for a landing, because "they remain motionless for several minutes in the air, or go up and down in a straight line before vanishing unexpectedly."
EL LIBERAL combed the neighborhood to collect accounts and although residents did not wish to make their names known, they ratified the presence of these lights "over several evenings." Jose Villalva, the owner of a local supermarket, stated that his customers are remarking on the presence of these lights in the sky while doing their groceries, while stating that he himself has not seen them.
A young man disclosed that a few weeks ago, at night, a group of police officers went into the wilderness behind the neighborhood to capture criminals and that the locals, whose curiosity had driven them to enter the area, saw several lights over the treetops that ascended and descended. They thought at first that the lights came from the policemens' flashlights, but they discarded the possibility immediately upon realizing the officers had gone and they were alone in the area. Since then, many people have returned to the site in the hopes of seeingwhat they call "UFOs".
Fernandez Robles © - EL LIBERAL's exclusive related to the appearance of a UFO in this city between June 11-14 at different nocturnal hours regained strength yesterday due to a new sighting last Thursday around 21:00 hours. Numerous residents of the following neighborhoods: Norte, 12 de Octubre, Juan DomingoPeron, Camping, Roca and 102 Viviendas, among others "theCapital of Agriculture", claim having seen the luminous object.
On said occasion, Marcelo Coronel, a profesisonal mechanic living on Balcarse Street in Barrio Norte, witnessed - along with the light of the moon and stars - something similar to a "headlight surrounded by a red halo which increased and diminished in hue, and moved slowly from north to south without making any sound."
Coronel adds that since he was on his way to the Sportivo Club, he followed [the object] in his car "along old Route 34." Once he reached the stadium, he continued to witness it along with the Gallardo family "for over 20 minutes, until it became lost behind the treeline."
He further added that the event took place after 9:00 pm last Thursday. "On that day," he said, "the wind was blowing northward, and for that reason I know the object wasn't a balloon. It moved opposite to the prevailing wind. Very slowly, as round as the size of a car wheel. It was possible to make out its colors clearly: intense white at its core (like a headlight) whith a red aura around it, changing shades of red."
Numerous residents of Fernandez claim having seen the phenomenon. A considerable number of rumors link this fact with the wave of unexplained bovine deaths and the emptying of numerous farm water tanks all over the country. "It is noteworthy that these lights should move over areas in which the wells and tanks of the new potable water system are located," adds Coronel.
Neighbors agree, pointing out that when they are seen, TV signals are interrupted or television sets shut themselves off without any interruption to the flow of electricity, or the sets change channels without the remote control having been touched, while dogs bark desperately without any apparent reason.
Translation © 2002, Scott Corrales, Institute of Hispanic Ufology. Special Thanks to Gloria Coluchi.
