Uruguay CRIDOVNI: Air Force UFO Committee Founded — 2,200 Sightings Documented (August 1979)
Already in August 1979, the Uruguayan Air Force founded a joint civilian-military committee called the Comisión Receptora e Investigadora de Denuncias de Objetos Voladores No Identificados (CRIDOVNI) — the Commission for the Reception and Investigation of UFO Reports. Its mandate, grounded in Ley 14.747, is the reception, investigation, and evaluation of all reports of UFO sightings in national airspace, in support of airspace control and flight-safety activities. CRIDOVNI builds a database from collected reports and seeks to identify patterns and regularities in UFO behaviour through scientific and technical collaboration at national and international levels.
In June 2009, the Uruguayan Air Force granted the newspaper El País access to its declassified UFO files. According to those records, the Air Force had investigated UFO cases since 1947. A total of 2,200 sightings had been reported; for 40 cases the investigating experts could find no conventional explanation. The files were not published on the internet.
Background
In August 1979, the Uruguayan Air Force established CRIDOVNI, an official commission for receiving and investigating UFO reports. Over decades, it has documented over 2,200 sightings, standing out for its transparency and longevity in UAP investigations.
Establishment
The Uruguayan Air Force founded CRIDOVNI (Comisión Receptora e Investigadora de Denuncias de Objetos Voladores No Identificados) in August 1979.
It serves as the official body for handling UFO reports in Uruguay.
Operations and Documentation
CRIDOVNI has operated for decades, documenting over 2,200 sightings.
This makes it one of the most prolific official UAP investigation bodies in South America.
Transparency
Uruguay's approach is notably transparent.
The commission publicly acknowledges that approximately 2% of investigated cases remain unexplained.
Significance
CRIDOVNI continues to operate today.
It represents one of the longest-running official government UAP programs in the world.