Reinaldo Ríos

Early Career and Research Focus

Reinaldo Ríos is a Puerto Rican first-grade teacher at School Muñoz Rivera in Yauco who became a prominent UFO researcher (ufólogo) and paranormal investigator. Operating as a freelance researcher specializing in unexplained phenomena, Ríos emerged as a significant voice in Caribbean UFO documentation during the 1980s and 1990s, when Puerto Rico experienced intense waves of sightings and cryptid encounters.

The Chupacabra Investigations

Ríos gained international recognition in the mid-1990s through systematic investigations into the chupacabra phenomenon, which swept Puerto Rico beginning in 1994–1995. During this period, the island reported over 200 unusual animal deaths attributed to an unknown creature. Ríos coordinated with local authorities, veterinarians, and even armed security personnel in organized investigations. In late June during the peak of the phenomenon, he organized a coordinated hunt for the creature with support from the mayor of Vieques, Evelyn Delerme, and local law enforcement including trained snipers. These efforts, while ultimately inconclusive, represented one of the first systematic collaborative responses to the chupacabra mystery and established Ríos as a serious investigator willing to deploy rigorous fieldwork methodology.

The Ruta Extraterrestre and UFO-Port Vision

Ríos's most distinctive contribution to Puerto Rico's UFO culture came through his visionary concept of an "UFO airport" (ufo-puerto) designed to formally welcome extraterrestrial visitors and facilitate peaceful contact. This ambitious initiative gained municipal support, particularly from the mayor of Lajas, demonstrating that Ríos's ideas resonated beyond fringe circles into civic institutions.

In 2010, Ríos's work culminated in the formal declaration of Highway 303 as the Ruta Extraterrestre PR 303 (Extraterrestrial Route), positioning Puerto Rico as an intentional hub for documentation and potential contact with non-human intelligence. This declaration transformed a major roadway into a symbol of official acknowledgment of Puerto Rico's UFO phenomenon and attracted researchers, tourists, and enthusiasts to the region. The route became associated with numerous sighting hotspots, particularly around Lajas and the southwestern coast near the Sierra Bermeja mountains, where underground bases have been theorized.

International Recognition and Recent Work

Ríos achieved broader international recognition in 2010 when he organized a high-profile investigation into a "gargoyle" entity reported in the ancient Central Açucareira (sugar mill facility) in Guánica, located on Puerto Rico's southwest coast—an area with documented UFO and cryptid activity. This investigation further positioned him as the leading researcher for unexplained creature reports in the Caribbean region.

As of 2024, Ríos remains active, having recently urged the Dominican President to acknowledge and investigate UFO reports affecting neighboring Caribbean nations. This ongoing advocacy demonstrates his commitment to advancing official recognition of the phenomenon across the entire region, not merely within Puerto Rico's borders.

Personal Contact Experience

According to Ríos's own account, his involvement with UFO phenomena stems from a direct encounter dating to his teenage years. At age 17, while living in Guanica, he experienced an alien contact incident that he credits as the catalyst for his lifelong research mission. This personal experiential foundation—combined with his commitment to rigorous investigation and civic partnership—distinguishes his approach from purely theoretical ufology.