"Colonel Uyrangê Hollanda, commander of Operação Prato [Operation Saucer], was a serious and objective man, diligent and respected by all", Pereira says, confirming what Brazilian ufologists always knew but had no means to assure – that indeed Operação Prato [Operation Saucer] resulted in more than 2.000 pages of documents besides the already known 500 pictures and 16 hours of footage. Regarding Caso Varginha, however, he says to know nothing but what was revealed by Brazilian UFO Magazine and the press. He seemed to be sincere because such case belongs to a different military sector, the Army.

Brigadier Jose Carlos Pereira was born in Salvador (BA) and joined the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) in March 1958, retiring in July 2005 after occupying the main positions in the Air Force hierarchy including the highest rank of all. He was graduated in December 1963 and little by little became one of the best specialists for space policies and strategies in Brazil. Pereira was also a jet pilot as well as a pilot for transports, a special air operations and a military parachutist.

Member of Brazilian Military Elite

Pereira was an operations officer and a commander of the Unit for Jet Training, a commander of air bases and official of the superior military command in operations and personnel sectors. He had a distinguished performance at the military intelligence being an official at Brazilian Presidency cabinet and an official for intelligence at the Inter-American Defense Board, in Washington. Pereira was also chief of logistics and mobilization of the superior command of Brazilian Armed Forces, commander of the Brazilian Air Force Academy (AFA) and chief of the General Command of Air Operations.

Over the last 10 years, Brigadier Jose Carlos Pereira was also a commander of operations for the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) being responsible for 13 generals and a total number of 27 thousand subordinates. From 1999 to 2001, he was a general commander for Air Operations and for the Brazilian Airspace Defense Command (Comdabra), a body that was already called "Brazilian Area 51". As we can see, it is no overestimate to say that during some time Pereira was the guardian of the key to the safe where Brazilian UFO secrets have been kept. On March 27th 2006, already retired, this Brigadier took office at the presidency of the Brazilian Airport Infrastructure Agency (Infraero), by appointment of Minister Nelson Jobim.

Brazilian ufologists consider that Pereira's statements will have a significant impact on the campaign UFOs: Liberdade de Informação Já [UFOs: Freedom of Information Now]. Never before a military of that rank spoke so freely about UFOs. Very few from other countries came so close to repeat the same initiative. This encouraged Brazilian UFO Magazine to try a contact with military of the same level in the Navy and in the Army in order to look for the support Brazilian ufologists need to fulfill their goals. Step by step we follow our path which someday will lead us to the freedom of UFO information in Brazil. Uyrangê Hollanda gave his contribution and now Jose Carlos Pereira joins his efforts.

See below the highlights of the interview given to Brazilian UFO Magazine

UFO - Brigadier, you have been the one in military who speaks more about UFOs in the media. You have given several interviews always in a very open and natural manner. What makes you act like this?

Pereira – I consider that as a matter of personal belief. I believe there should be no subject to be kept closed to humankind. It might look flamboyant and bizarre, but this subject must always be checked and investigated. Galileo, Copernicus, and so many other scientists must have known that. So I believe no human being or institution has the right to keep doors closed to the discussion of any matters, be it scientific, political, social or religious. Not even to Ufology, which I consider to be within the scientific field. This is a personal point of view that I sustain till these days.

UFO - It has been said that you keep the key to the safe where UFO secrets are kept, including documents, pictures and footages made in different circumstances by military in duty in different bases – some in missions like Operação Prato [Operation Saucer], some by accident. What could these secrets reveal?

Pereira – Look, I'm a man devoted to science, a man with a scientific mind. If you present the idea that extraterrestrials are here, that they are visiting and investigating us, that they are doing things that we cannot understand what they are, then your idea goes against scientific reasoning. Because, as far as we know, our Solar System has presented no indication for the existence of life in another planet except Earth.

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