UFO red beams
Viral videos showing mysterious red beams before Venezuela's devastating earthquake have sparked explosive UFO theories, despite analyses finding no evidence linking the footage to the disaster. Pinterest

The devastating earthquake that struck Venezuela on 24 June has spawned one of the year's most explosive conspiracy theories after viral videos appeared to show mysterious red beams shooting towards the Earth moments before the disaster.

The controversy began shortly after Venezuela was hit by a powerful series of earthquakes on the evening of 24 June. Social media users rapidly circulated footage showing what appeared to be several red laser-like beams moving through the night sky above a residential area.

Venezuela Red Beam Claims

The accompanying posts claimed the footage had been recorded moments before the earthquake struck and showed unidentified flying objects scanning the Earth's surface.

Another user claimed that moments before the earthquake struck, 'multiple UFOs appeared and emitted red energy.'

What Online Analyses Found About the Viral Video

Reviews of reports and publicly available information found no credible evidence linking the circulating video to the Venezuela earthquake.

According to analyses shared online, no official reports, scientific observations or credible news sources documented unusual aerial activity, laser beams or unidentified objects before the earthquake.

Reverse-image searches using frames extracted from the viral footage reportedly revealed that the video had been circulating online months before the earthquake occurred.

The footage was found to have appeared online as early as April 2026 among communities focused on unidentified aerial phenomena, where it circulated under the label 'CASE 058'.

Digital analysis of the footage also raised additional questions about its authenticity. According to an independent online analysis, artificial intelligence detection tools estimated a 75.1 per cent probability that portions of the footage had been generated or manipulated using AI technologies.

What to Know About Earthquake Lights

Researchers have documented rare phenomena known as 'earthquake lights,' which can appear before or during seismic activity under certain geological conditions. These lights can manifest as flashes, glows or luminous phenomena in the atmosphere.

However, scientists caution that earthquake lights remain poorly understood and are relatively rare. One widely shared analysis attempted to address the growing speculation directly.

'A real earthquake did hit Venezuela, but there is no verified evidence that "laser beams" scanned the ground before it happened,' the analysis stated.

The analysis further suggested that the lights shown in the footage could potentially represent electrical arcing, power-grid flashes, reflections or naturally occurring earthquake-light phenomena.

Observers also pointed to timing discrepancies. The Venezuela earthquake occurred at approximately 6:00pm local time during daylight and dusk conditions, while the viral footage appears to show a fully dark nighttime scene.

The Disaster's Scale Has Fuelled Further Speculation

Venezuela experienced a magnitude 7.2 earthquake followed less than a minute later by a stronger magnitude 7.5 tremor. The event has been described as the country's most powerful seismic activity since 1900.

Reports indicate that more than 68,000 people remain unaccounted for as rescue operations continue in severely affected regions, with authorities facing significant logistical challenges due to damaged roads and critical infrastructure.

The enormous scale of the disaster has undoubtedly contributed to the spread of speculation and conspiracy theories surrounding its cause.

There is currently no verified evidence linking UFOs, red energy beams, directed energy weapons or artificial intervention to the Venezuela earthquake.

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