Mexican Senate on the Possibility of Alien Life

Photo Credit: Henry Romero/Reuters

The Mexican Senate convened in September to hear testimony on the possible existence of extraterrestrial life. The hearing marked the country’s first congressional event on Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP), a term now used instead of Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs). 

This testimony was presented by Mexican journalist and long time UFO enthusiast Jaime Maussan. Maussan brought forth mummified specimens and stated under oath that the corpses were those of “non-human extraterrestrials”. This testimony has generated significant interest and controversy around the globe. Many questions surround the evidence presented and its credibility.

These specimens have elongated heads and three fingers on each hand. They were said to have been found in 2017, near the ancient Nazca Lines in Peru. Maussan claimed that carbon-14 analysis, allegedly conducted by researchers at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), determined the specimens to be approximately 1,000 years old.

Jose de Jesus Zalce Benitez, Director of the Scientific Institute for Health of the Mexican Navy, claimed that x-rays, 3-D reconstruction, and DNA analysis were carried out on the bodies. He affirmed that the bodies had “no relation to human beings” and added that there was “no evidence of any assembly or manipulation of the skulls”.

The credibility of the presented evidence has sparked debate. While Maussan insisted that the specimens were non-human, there are doubts about the authenticity of his assertions. After Maussan cited their carbon dating tests, UNAM released a statement emphasizing that their analysis only aimed to determine the samples’ age — not to draw conclusions about their origin. 

Many experts in the field have objected to Maussan’s claims. The Peruvian Attorney General’s Office and the Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences found that the figures appeared to be “recently manufactured”. They concluded that the corpses had been made using animal and human bones, with plant fibres and synthetic glue used to simulate skin. 

While Maussan and others believe that these specimens provide compelling evidence of extraterrestrial life, skeptics suggest that the remains are more likely the result of mummified human or animal remains, perhaps from a different culture or period. 

Congressman Sergio Gutierrez of the ruling Morena party expressed his hope that this hearing would be the first of many similar events in Mexico. “We are left with reflections, with concerns, and with the path forward to continue talking about this,” he said.