Los Identificados- No 10

Magazine Overview

This issue of 'Los Identificados' is dedicated to exploring UFO (OVNI) cases with occupants, specifically focusing on their occurrence in Argentina. The cover features the title 'LOS IDENTIFICADOS' and a subtitle '-casuística ovni con ocupantes en Argentina-', along with a striking, grainy image of a profile. The issue is identified by the letter 'X' and is attributed to Dr. Roberto Banchs.

Abductions, Traumatic Experience, and the Regressive Path

The article begins by analyzing a historical collection of encounter and abduction cases, noting that many testimonies might represent interior perceptions projected outward, or extraterrestrial narratives that are actually intra-human. These experiences are often symbolic and closely related to the witness's life, sometimes recreating unelaborated psychic situations, essentially traumatic in nature. The author suggests that these accounts are not merely unusual sightings but involve a strong affective commitment from the witnesses, who often play a prominent role. The article points to Argentinian cases like Ingeniero White, Venado Tuerto, El Dean, and Godoy Cruz as examples. It draws a parallel with dreams, where fantasies—conscious or unconscious—can be disguised wish fulfillments. The term 'post-traumatic abduction syndrome' is discussed, which researchers use to describe symptoms attributed to alien abduction, despite the possibility that these accounts might be a manifestation of a prior traumatic event, with the abduction narrative serving as a way for the unconscious to resolve that trauma.

The Role of Hypnosis

The text critically examines the use of hypnosis, and sometimes sodium pentothal, as a method to validate abduction accounts. It argues that statements made under hypnosis do not always reflect objective reality and can stimulate dream-like fantasies. Individuals with lower intellectual coefficients or those prone to fantasy are seen as more susceptible to hypnotic suggestion and hallucination. The article also notes that 'specialists' involved in these hypnotic sessions often have pre-existing beliefs, which can unconsciously influence the subject to provide the expected affirmative response. The author asserts that confessions or declarations made under hypnosis, or induced by drugs, are not valid in legal proceedings because the subject's state of semi-consciousness offers no guarantee of reality, often leading to 'oneiric delirium' where the subject speaks of desires or fears rather than actual events.

An example is given of how ufologists easily find individuals who claim to have been abducted, while those using hypnosis for 'past life regressions' find exotic historical figures. The argument that witnesses forget alien abductions due to trauma is discussed, with the author suggesting this might be a form of 'lacunar amnesia' or a defense mechanism. However, the article posits that such dissociative states can also stem from confusional psychoses, neurological conditions, or epilepsy, and that ufologists often overlook these common causes, sometimes attributing the amnesia to the aliens themselves.

The Perinatal Hypothesis

The article introduces the 'perinatal hypothesis,' first proposed in 1975 in relation to a case in Ingeniero White, Argentina. This hypothesis suggests that certain abduction accounts bear resemblance to perinatal experiences (around the time of birth). Dr. Alvin Lawson is mentioned for his later interest in this parallel between UFO abductions and the 'birth trauma.' The concept of birth trauma as a fundamental source of anxiety, as theorized by psychoanalyst Otto Rank, is discussed. While Rank's ideas led to his separation from Freud's group, they are considered influential. Freud's study of 'original fantasies,' including 'intrauterine life,' is also mentioned, describing these as typical dream-like structures related to origins and sexual life.

The Regressive Path

Hypnosis, along with certain daydreams or fantasies, is presented as a method that proposes a regression to an earlier stage, often leading to deeply regressive states and infancy. The author acknowledges that encounters with UFOs and their occupants are traumatic experiences. However, like all memories, trauma can be a 'hidden memory,' where continuous recall serves to uncover repressed content. The value of the trauma narrative is not in its content but in its connection to repressed material. The article suggests that the anxiety and sense of helplessness associated with trauma are often linked to the birth experience, with physiological symptoms of childbirth mirroring those of anxiety.

Ingeniero White: A Case of Perinatal Fantasy

This section details the case of Carlos Alberto Díaz, a railway worker from Ingeniero White, Argentina, who reported a UFO encounter on January 5, 1975. Díaz described being on his way home when he observed a strong luminosity and heard a loud noise. He felt paralyzed and was then seemingly absorbed upwards into an ovoid object. Inside, he described an atmosphere of weightlessness and a uniform, tan-colored luminosity. He encountered three humanoid figures with smooth, featureless faces, olive-green skin, and no visible clothing or genitals. After a struggle, during which he felt his air supply cut off, he lost consciousness.

Upon regaining consciousness, Díaz found himself fully clothed, about 30 meters from a road, in an unfamiliar location. His watch indicated it was 3:50 AM. A man offered him a ride to Retiro, Buenos Aires. The investigation into Díaz's account revealed discrepancies. His reported timeline for travel between Bahía Blanca and Ingeniero White seemed impossible given the bus schedules. Furthermore, a medical examination at the Policlínico Ferroviario Central in Buenos Aires diagnosed him with absolute normality, attributing his condition to a post-shock state, and he was discharged after a few days. The medical team found his thought process normal and his responses adequate, with no signs of pathological ideas or significant emotional alterations. The differential diagnosis included emotional epilepsy or a differential syndrome.

Investigative Synthesis and Conclusions

The investigation highlights several points of divergence from Díaz's testimony. The usual movement of people at the reported time and location was not observed by Díaz, despite it being a normal occurrence. The claim of losing consciousness due to lack of air in a 16-cubic-meter object is questioned. The travel times reported by Díaz are deemed impossible based on bus schedules. The medical evaluation found no evidence of trauma or psychological disturbance beyond a post-shock state, and the diagnosis of normality contradicts the idea of a significant alien abduction event. The article concludes that while the medical personnel found Díaz to be clear and precise, their focus was primarily organic and functional. The investigation points to the improbability of certain aspects of his account, suggesting that the experience might be rooted in intrapsychic reality rather than an external event.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine consistently questions the validity of UFO abduction accounts, particularly when analyzed through the lens of psychological phenomena. It emphasizes the potential for hypnosis to induce fantasies and the unreliability of such testimonies in legal or factual contexts. The 'perinatal hypothesis' is presented as a theoretical framework that attempts to explain abduction experiences as symbolic representations of birth trauma, suggesting that the 'alien' encounter might be a manifestation of deep-seated psychological processes rather than an external event. The editorial stance appears skeptical of literal interpretations of abduction narratives, leaning towards psychological and intrapsychic explanations, while still acknowledging the profound impact these experiences have on individuals.

This issue of UFO magazine, dated 1996, focuses on the case of Carlos A. Díaz, a railway worker who became notable for his UFO-related testimonies in 1975 and 1988. The primary article, authored by Dr. Roberto Banchs, provides a detailed analysis of Díaz's accounts, particularly the 1975 incident, and explores the psychological dimensions of his experiences.

The 1975 Incident: Allegations and Reconstructions

The issue begins by detailing discrepancies in Díaz's account of his 1975 experience, specifically regarding his arrival at the Policlinico and subsequent hospitalization. The author highlights inconsistencies between Díaz's statement and the hospital's records, suggesting a potential fabrication. A reconstruction of the events on January 4-5, 1975, suggests Díaz went to work normally, then opted to take a train to Buenos Aires instead of returning home. His arrival at Plaza Constitución station at 16:10, followed by a delay, allegedly led to eye irritation and hair-pulling as 'physical proof' for his story. He then proceeded to the hospital, arriving around 17:30, and was admitted at 18:50. The author posits that the entire episode might have been a "mystification created by the witness himself."

The Psychological Factor

Beyond reconstructing the events, the article delves into the psychological underpinnings of Díaz's narrative. The author suggests that the UFO message communicates from the unconscious, revealing the psyche and personality. Díaz's account is described as containing fantastic elements that, due to their symbolic nature, originate from the unconscious. The analysis links his reported distress to primal anxiety, a sense of lack or separation stemming from unresolved traumatic situations. The narrative is viewed as an attempt to overcome this anguish through fantasy, delusion, or hallucination, serving as an externalization of underlying conflicts. The concept of the "double"—fusion and separation—is explored as a core issue, with a potential regression to primal stages of development, symbolized by birth.

The article compares Díaz's experience to the perinatal period, referencing Freudian concepts of the "oceanic experience" (fusion, ecstasy) and "real-angst" (primary, traumatic anxiety). Díaz's narrative is seen as reliving this natal experience in a camouflaged UFO context, involving feelings of annihilation and dualistic conflicts like abduction/adduction or retention/separation. The UFO itself is interpreted as a womb-like matrix, with Díaz in a fetal position, experiencing emptiness and dependence on an umbilical cord. The figures encountered are interpreted as representing his family, dramatizing his vital situation and his expulsion from a contained state. The beings' actions, such as pulling hair, are seen as threats to his integrity, possibly related to feelings of inferiority.

The article also touches upon the four main systems of the human body (respiratory, gastro-intestinal, cerebral, muscular) and their relation to environmental elements, suggesting a potential threat of fragmentation. The perception of the beings is described as global, similar to a baby's, explaining the lack of detailed features and revealing the subject's feeling of undifferentiation.

Perceptions of Díaz in Presence of the UFO

The article lists Díaz's perceptions during the encounter, including the presence of light within the object, paralysis, absorption, intense light, and his own disappearance. These are then compared sequentially with the perceived experiences of the creatures, which include the presence of light within the womb, the mother transmitting emotions causing contractions, the creature positioning itself for birth, the appearance of intense external light upon entering the environment, and the creature losing strength and fading after birth.

Other Details of the Case

The analysis infers that Díaz attempted to symbolize reality. His disappearance near his home and reappearance near his birthplace are noted. The "multicarga celeste" vehicle is seen as a potential symbol of the womb, and the newspaper he used as 'proof' is interpreted as an attempt to establish a social connection and identity. The significance of numbers, particularly three and six, is also explored, with six representing creation and manifestation, and the number three signifying perfection and completeness. The author points out that Díaz had a daughter who was six months old when the episode occurred, suggesting a connection to the concept of birth.

Final Considerations

Dr. Banchs concludes that the case offers a new perspective on UFO "abductions," framing them as intrapsychic phenomena. He raises questions about whether perinatal regression is a common pattern in abduction narratives. While acknowledging the diverse nature of such reports, he maintains that a significant number of abduction events show a recurrence of the perinatal model. The article questions whether these regressions represent actual memories or fantasies of birth, suggesting that while the answer may lie beyond ufology, the elements in this case point towards an affective, symbolic, and delusional content.

Díaz's later testimony in 1988, where he claimed to have traveled in a similar craft to the center of the Earth and encountered prehistoric animals, is presented as a continuation of his narrative. The author views this repetition as a manifestation of the "compulsion to repeat" seen in dreams, where a traumatic event is re-enacted in a disguised form to achieve representation and meaning. The 1988 account is seen as having a similar underlying structure, involving beings who abduct him in a similar craft. The author interprets this as a regression to archaic themes, evoking Díaz's personal prehistory and the fundamental instincts and functions of the human body. This return to origin confronts man with his myths and singular mythical structures, questioning the very nature of birth. Díaz is described as engaging in a compulsive regression and identification, constructing a delusional reality by externalizing his internal experiences. The author notes that Díaz's diagnosis is not favorable, and a favorable prognosis would require adequate treatment. He warns that Díaz might continue to produce elaborate and bizarre narratives reflecting the labyrinthine nature of his psyche.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around the psychological interpretation of UFO phenomena, particularly abductions. The magazine appears to adopt a stance that views such experiences not merely as external events but as manifestations of the individual's inner world, deeply influenced by early life experiences, trauma, and unconscious conflicts. The concept of perinatal regression and symbolic interpretation is central to the analysis, suggesting that UFO narratives can serve as a canvas for expressing deep-seated psychological issues. The editorial stance leans towards a critical examination of witness testimony, acknowledging the possibility of fraud or delusion, while also recognizing the potential for these narratives to reveal profound aspects of the human psyche. The issue emphasizes the importance of individual case analysis and the symbolic, rather than literal, interpretation of UFO encounters.