Brazil has a well-documented history with UAP. Military investigations like the 1977 Operation Saucer in the Amazon and the 1986 "Official UFO Night" - when the Brazilian Air Force scrambled jets to intercept 21 radar-confirmed objects - established the country as a focal point for UAP research. For four decades, the publication that covered this history most consistently was Revista UFO.
A.J. Gevaerd launched the magazine in 1985, leaving behind a career as a chemistry teacher to dedicate himself to UAP research full-time. He died in Curitiba on December 9, 2022, at the age of 60. Thiago Luiz Ticchetti, a MUFON Field Investigator and member of the Scientific Coalition for UAP Studies, took over as editor-in-chief and ran the publication for the following three years.
In late January 2026, Daniel Gevaerd, A.J.'s son, sold Revista UFO to Grupo Dakila. The organization is led by Urandir Fernandes de Oliveira, known internationally for a 2018 documentary on the shape of the Earth and for promoting claims of direct extraterrestrial contact. A.J. Gevaerd had been publicly critical of Fernandes de Oliveira during his lifetime, a fact that has made the sale a subject of debate within the Brazilian UAP community.
Ticchetti resigned shortly after learning the buyer's identity. Longtime co-editor Marco Antonio Petit and, according to Ticchetti, virtually all of the magazine's contributing editors followed. Ticchetti and several former colleagues have since launched a new publication, Revista Fenômeno UFO.
The UAP Observer spoke with Ticchetti about the events. The following are his account, lightly edited for clarity.
Q: Can you walk me through the timeline of events? When did you first learn that Revista UFO was being sold, and when did you find out that Grupo Dakila was the buyer?
A: "I only became certain of who was behind the purchase at the meeting I had with Daniel and Garibalde, Dakila's representative, on January 30th. I already knew that Daniel was interested in selling the magazine, and that is his genuine right. Public confirmation of the transition came soon after, with news and announcements indicating that UFO Magazine would become part of UFO Intermediações, linked to the Dakila Group of Urandir Fernandes de Oliveira. It also became public that the transition process would take about six months, according to a statement from Daniel Gevaerd."
Q: You served as editor-in-chief of Revista UFO for three years following A.J. Gevaerd's passing in 2022. What was your vision for the magazine during that time?
A: "My vision was to continue the history of UFO, maintaining its DNA, the DNA of Gevaerd and all the people who helped him build UFO. It was necessary for us to adapt to the new times of rapid information flow, social networks, and technologies; in addition to the financial problems we are going through. Gevaerd's legacy belongs only to him, it is non-transferable, but the legacy of UFO Magazine belongs to the hundreds of people who for more than 40 years helped Gevaerd in the creation and continuity of the publication. The Revista UFO had a little piece of each of us. The essence of the magazine was the people."
Q: What was your immediate reaction when you learned Grupo Dakila had purchased the magazine?
A: "My reaction was not one of surprise, as I already suspected it, but it was one of concern about the editorial line that the publication would follow from that moment on. I thought about continuing at UFO so that the editorial line we had since the creation of UFO would be maintained, but my principles spoke louder. When I realized that the "alignment of method" and criteria would be incompatible with what I defend as serious research, the conclusion was inevitable: I could not continue. The most honest decision I could make would be to leave and let the new owner be free to chart [their] own plans and editorial course."
Q: A.J. Gevaerd publicly criticized Urandir Fernandes de Oliveira during his lifetime. Can you explain what their disagreement was about and why this sale is significant given that history?
A: "The conflict was always essentially about credibility, method, and public responsibility. There are records of public clashes since the 1990s. For example, in 2018, when Gevaerd reacted harshly to a tribute to Urandir, raising severe criticisms and allegations of irregularity. So, the sale is significant because it places the UFO Magazine brand, built over decades with a specific editorial line, under the influence of a group that, historically, has been at the center of these controversies and which Gevaerd fiercely criticized and denounced. But again, the decision and its consequences rested exclusively with Daniel."
Q: You stated that you couldn't "tie your credibility to someone you don't trust." What specific concerns do you have about Grupo Dakila's approach to UAP research?
A: "Because I simply cannot find evidence for the existence of ET Bilu, the alleged abduction of Urandir, [or the] concave earth [theory]; and I still have in mind everything that Gevaerd revealed regarding the old project of the current owner of the Revista UFO. As I said, my principles are non-negotiable."
Q: Brazil has a rich history of serious UAP research — from Operation Prato to the Official UFO Night of 1986 to recent Congressional hearings. How does this transition at Revista UFO affect the credibility of Brazilian ufology internationally?
A: "Brazil has relevant cases and history such as Operation Prato, the Official Night of 1986, the Varginha Case, etc. But international credibility depends on the standard, and the standard depends on method and editorial governance. The Revista UFO has always had credibility. Today, honestly, I am aware that there has been a major shake-up. When a vehicle with historical weight changes direction and generates a rupture of traditional names and groups, this creates noise, opens space for generalizations, forcing the serious ufological community to reaffirm criteria and reposition its references. Along with me, practically 100% of everyone who contributed to UFO also left. I want to make it very clear that no one was forced to leave. Each one had their own reason. But the international ufological community noticed this exodus, and of course, there is greater trust in those people who were at UFO for years and have now left. Credibility, trust, and seriousness also accompany these people."
Q: Your email signature now lists you as "Editor da Revista FENÔMENO UFO." Can you tell us about this new publication? Is this where the "old guard" from Revista UFO is continuing the work?
A: "The Fenômeno UFO Magazine was created as a way to preserve the editorial line based on investigation, evidence, and responsibility, without commitments to agendas that are not aligned with this standard. We did not emerge to be a competition for UFO, but rather we want to be the reference in ufology. Is it the “old guard”? I prefer to say it this way: it is the continuation of serious work, with people who share the same commitment to method, documentation, transparency, and respect for the reader's intelligence. To all this, we add new researchers, new visions, new research niches, but always with a high standard in the investigation of the ufological phenomenon, honesty, and seriousness."
Q: You remain Director of MUFON Brazil and Director of International Relations for the Brazilian Commission of Ufologists (CBU). How will these organizations continue to promote serious UAP research in Brazil?
A: "Absolutely! Both value serious research with tangible results. Although they have different objectives, with MUFON being a ufological research entity and CBU being an entity that works in a more institutional and political way, both have minimum protocols for investigation, training and standardization of reports, an international network and responsible exchange of data, and a critical stance of not "buying" into ready-made narratives."
Q: What message would you like to send to the international UAP research community about what's happening in Brazil right now?
A: "What I would say is: Brazil continues to be a country with strong case studies and researchers committed to seriousness, but this moment demands discernment. Don't confuse "brand" with "method." Credibility doesn't reside in the logo; it resides in procedure, evidence, critical review, and transparency. And that is exactly what we will continue to defend and practice. The legacy of the "Revista Fenômeno UFO – Referência em Ufologia" magazine is just beginning, but it is already starting with seriousness and international recognition. And this legacy belongs to everyone who is in."
What Grupo Dakila intends to do with Revista UFO going forward is not yet clear. Daniel Gevaerd has not yet responded publicly to questions about the publication's editorial direction. How the Brazilian UAP research community — and its international partners — will orient themselves in the months ahead remains an open question.
Ticchetti remains Director of MUFON Brazil and Director of International Relations for the Brazilian Commission of Ufologists. He is the editor of Revista Fenômeno UFO. He can also be found on Instagram at @revistafenomenoufo and on X at @TLTufologo.